


New Start

by kmoaton



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Betrayal, M/M, Pre-Slash, Slash, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-10
Updated: 2017-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-12 22:44:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5683789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmoaton/pseuds/kmoaton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Devastated by the loss of Sirius Black and the abandonment of those he called friends, Harry discovers the veil is not a portal of death but instead a portal to the past.  Seeing an opportunity to join his godfather, Harry discovers himself, instead, back in the time of Tom Riddle before he became Voldemort.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cruel Summer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LittleMissXanda](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleMissXanda/gifts).



> Diverges after the end of “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix” 
> 
> The idea comes from ‘Doctor Who’ series, specifically, the Weeping Angels. I figured if the Angels could send people back in time, why not the veil in the Department of Mysteries?
> 
> Tags and characters will be added as they began to appear.

Harry knew winter break would be the best time to put his plan into action. For the first time in his Hogwarts career, he was meticulous on planning how everything would be done. Sometimes, it amazed him that it was his aunt’s love for “Doctor Who” on the telly that opened his eyes to the possibility. 

ooOOoo

Sirius’ death and the subsequent abandonment by everyone he had considered his friend was the last straw for Harry. He could no longer pretend to care anymore for the light and their deceitful ways. No apologies from Dumbledore at the end of the term would change the fact that Sirius was dead and if the headmaster had been honest from the beginning, none of this would have happened. The way the others just bowed to Dumbledore made the seed of anger and hate take a firm root. He was done being “The Boy Who Lived”, a pawn and a tool in whatever game Dumbledore was playing. Everyone just followed his lead and Harry always was the one who suffered for it. 

Well, no more. Nice, forgiving Harry didn’t exist anymore. He died with Sirius.

ooOOoo

The first step in setting himself free was his refusal to go to the Burrow for his birthday. He had spent the previous six weeks being ignored and when Tonks, Arthur Weasley, Remus, and the Weasley twins came to collect Harry, he was done with all of them and had no intention to go with people who were sheep. When they arrived, the cold-eyed boy who stared at them down the stairs shocked them. 

“Wotcher, Harry. Do you have your things together?” Tonks called out.

Harry’s stare didn’t change. “Why?”

Everyone frowned at the harshness of his tone. His aunt stood in the kitchen doorway, watching the exchange, a frown on her brow as well. Harry was usually excited to see “the other freaks” when they arrived to take him away. He had been acting strangely since he had returned from school and in Petunia’s eyes, that meant some type of trouble. 

Remus replied. “You know it’s time to go to The Burrow.”

Harry came down to the bottom of the steps. “How would I know that? I haven’t heard from anyone all summer.”

All those present had the grace to blush. Arthur broke the uncomfortable silence. “Well, Dumbledore thought…”

Raising his hand, Harry cut him off. He didn’t want to hear anything that came from Dumbledore. “I see.” 

For a long moment, no one moved and no words were spoken. Fred finally asked. “Are you coming to the Burrow with us?”

Harry turned to walk back up the stairs. “No. I think I’ll stay here.”

Harry ignored the outcry that broke out until he reached the top of the stairs. 

“Since everyone saw fit to leave me here until they got orders to come retrieved me, it makes me think I wasn't wanted there anyway. I think it’ll be in my best interest to remain here.” Without looking back, Harry retreated to his room and closed the door. Seething with anger, Harry knew that no matter what they said, all he would hear were lies. He could hear the loud discussions that were taking place and despite numerous knocks on the door, Harry refused to open it. 

The remaining few weeks was spent in relative calm. Harry wasn’t sure what story his aunt told his uncle, although Harry would catch her watching him with curious eyes. Vernon would snarl but generally said nothing to him. During the afternoon, when Vernon and Dudley were gone, Petunia would allow Harry to come down and watch telly with her. He took a liking to ‘Doctor Who’, amazed how the muggle writers included quite a bit of magical theory into the show. He wondered if some of the writers were muggleborns who left the wizarding world behind. Owls came but he sent them back without opening the letters. Then his school letter arrived through regular post. 

He was able to convince his aunt to drop him off in London near the location of The Leaky Cauldron. Dressed in muggle clothes with a baseball cap pressing his hair down over his infamous scar, he was able to make his way to Gringotts with little fanfare. He retrieved enough galleons to take care of his school supplies and extra to buy new clothes. Shopping went smoothly and as he arrived in Flourish and Blotts to buy his textbooks, a book on time travel caught his eye. Recalling the Doctor Who episode he had watched the day before featuring the weeping angels, Harry grabbed it, wanting to compare real magical theory on time travel to the show. Little did he know his life was getting ready to change further than he had ever expected.

ooOOoo 

Later that evening, after everyone had gone to bed, Harry finally got a chance to look into the time travel book. He expected it to be rather boring but to his surprise, Harry found it quite interesting. He was convinced that muggleborns had to be writers on the show. It was late and he had been reading for hours when Harry ran across the fact caused his heart rate to speed up. According to the author, the veil that currently resided in the Department of Mysteries was thought to be a portal. Most people believe that when someone passed through the veil, they died but the author felt that a person was sent back to another time. 

The author did warn that traveling back could have irreparable changes if the traveler meddled too much with the past. He didn’t indicate how far a person could travel back but Harry didn’t care. To him, it meant Sirius could possible be alive and Harry could have a chance to stop his death. This would be his chance to get away from Dumbledore and all of his manipulations. 

Harry could get his godfather back. 

ooOOoo

The next day gave Harry an unexpected opportunity for his quest. Petunia had an afternoon bridge club meeting and after making Harry prepare the salad dish she was taking with her, Harry was left alone. Taking advantage of the situation, Harry summoned the Knight Bus. After giving his destination, he pointedly ignored all of the questions Stan kept asking. At the end of the nauseating ride, Harry quickly went through the Leaky Cauldron and entered Diagon Alley. Keeping his head down, Harry headed straight for his destination, Gringotts. 

Requesting a meeting with his account manager, Harry was shown to a small private room with a huge desk and two small chairs in front of it. He knew Gornuk, his goblin advisor, would think he was crazy once he explained what he was up to but Harry knew the goblins knew more history than anyone in the wizarding world. 

“Mr. Potter, you requested my presence?” Gornuk entered the room, taking a seat at the large desk. 

“Yes, sir. I know this is going to sound insane but is there a way for me to travel back in time while maintaining my identity?” 

Gornuk was silent and stared at Harry. Fighting the urge to squirm, Harry stared back. 

“You wish to save your godfather.” It was a statement from the goblin, not a question. 

Harry nodded. “I’m working on a plan but I need to have several things in place.

“What are your plans?” Gornuk questioned. “You know time turners are only good for a few hours.”

Harry debated for a moment, wondering if he should share what he had discovered. Gornuk would keep his secrets and this was the only way he could get the help he would possibly need. 

“I’ve discovered a book that discussed the possibility of the Veil being a time portal.”

Gornuk stared long and hard at Harry. Finally leaning back, he gave a sigh. “I’ve heard as such. There are goblin tomes that speak of the portal.”

At that bit of information, Harry perked up. “What would it take for me to be allowed to see those books?”

A sinister smile bloomed on Gornuk’s face. “I’m sure for the right price, we can work something out.”

ooOOoo

In the end, Harry bartered a good deal of gold to get his own copies of the three books. Waiting until everyone in the house had gone to sleep, he eagerly dove into them. The information in the first book was incredible. According to the author, the Veil served as a one-way portal to the past. Travelers were able to verify their presence by leaving clues in places for others to find in the future. There was no indication of how far a person could go back into the past but it seemed that most of it was based on the intent of the traveler and how far they desired to go into the past. The traveler did have the ability to affect the past but unless they went making major changes, such as killing someone to remove them from the timeline, the changes were relatively minor. Possible changes included personality changes, different jobs, or relationships. 

Over the next few days, Harry began to plan. The goblin had given him an unregistered time-turner. Harry knew with him being at Hogwarts, he would need it to meet with the goblins to finalize his arrangements. Near the time he would choose to leave, Harry’s vaults would be closed and emptied. All the contents would be shrunken and given to Harry to transport. He would also have documentation from Gornuk explaining the situation, allowing Harry to reestablish himself in the past. However, it would take several months to finalize everything, which suited Harry fine. It would give him the opportunity to read more on the portal and plan when and how he would get in the Ministry of Magic. It would also give him a chance to ditch anyone who would try to stop him. 

For the first time all summer, Harry was ready to go back to Hogwarts. 

ooOOoo

Harry’s trip back to Hogwarts started out fairly quiet. He convinced his aunt to drop him off at the tube station and he traveled on his own to King’s Crossing. Thankful for his invisibility cloak, Harry was able to dodge the many Weasleys staked out on the platform. Going to the far back of the train, Harry was able to find an empty compartment. Quickly casting a “notice-me-not” charm and a locking charm, Harry was able to ride back to Hogwarts unbothered. It wasn’t until he walked into the great hall did he have to see his (as far as he was concerned) former friends. 

“Where have you been? Hermione pounced as soon as she saw Harry. “Why didn’t you come to the Burrow?” Ron was standing right beside her, looking concerned as well. Both of them were taken aback by the cold look in Harry’s eyes. 

“It would seem that I was just an afterthought after spending most of the summer cut off. It made more sense to stay where I was.”

“But mate,” Ron began. “Dumbledore said…” 

Harry raised his hand, cutting him off. “Since Dumbledore’s word is law and obvious more important than a friend in need, you can just continue to talk to him because I’m done.”

Harry turned to walk away from them, his appetite gone. Hermione came behind him and grabbed his arm. Snatching his arm away, Harry spied the prefect badges on their chest. 

“So I see the price of your loyalty.” By this time, others in the great hall were noticing the tension between the Golden Trio. Ready to be away from the lot of them, Harry couldn’t hide his snarl. “Don’t you have first years to tend to?” 

Hermione gave a pained gasp and Ron flushed as red as his hair while Harry turned on his heel and walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally get a chance to see some other reactions to the changes in Harry. This chapter will pick and choose some pieces of HBP. Don't expect them follow too much of the canon material.

Dumbledore was at his wits’ end. The first inkling of trouble was when Harry refused to leave the Dursleys for the remainder of the summer. Normally, Harry jumped at the chance to be free of his relatives but when the others returned without him, alarm bells begin to go off. Dumbledore was stunned as he listened to the way Arthur described Harry’s cold manner and how he felt that he wasn’t wanted. Everyone immediately sent out owls, trying to rectify the situation but owls came back, the letters unread. When the others went to get their school supplies, they kept an eye out for Harry, only to find that he had been in a week before, alone. Dumbledore tried not to panic and resisted the urge to go to Harry’s home. He knew how the muggles would react to his presence and the last thing he wanted to do was add fuel to Harry’s ire. 

When Dumbledore finally saw Harry as he walked into the great hall, he was horrified. It was obvious that the warm, caring Harry was gone. Instead, he could see the coldness in his eyes and posture. Watching the exchange between Harry and his friends, Dumbledore’s blood ran cold as he saw how Harry dismissed them. The final comment Harry made must have been painful because Dumbledore saw the hurt look on Hermione’s face as well as Ron’ face coloring red. 

_“What have I done?”_

ooOOoo

The reports only got worse. Minerva was nearly in tears when she reported that Harry had, not only refused the captain position but quit the quidditch team. All the professors reported that he refused to sit with either of his former friends, preferring to work alone unless he was forced to pair up, then it was usually with Neville Longbottom. 

Dumbledore decided a meeting was needed to see if anything could be done to get Harry back to his normal self. He called those who would have the most insight on Harry: Minerva, the Weasleys, Snape, and Remus. 

“I know some of you have come to me about Harry. I must say I’m concerned as well.”

Minerva snapped. “We told you that Harry didn’t need to be left alone after Sirius’ death!”

Molly chimed in as well. “Then you refused to let anyone communicate for him for whatever reasons you haven’t shared with us! He hates everyone now! He thinks we all abandoned him!”  
Dumbledore sighed. “I admit I didn’t think…”

Remus cut him off. “No, you didn’t think. You have made so many decisions about Harry without thinking. I’m starting to wonder if you are trying to create another Dark Lord.”

Startled gasps filled the room before an awkward silence. After a moment, Dumbledore, looking crestfallen, shook his head. 

"Harry would never be that way. He has known love..."

Molly cut in. "Yet we left him with those horrible muggles all these years and even knowing he was devastated about Sirius, he was sent back and we completely cut him off on your orders. I don't blame him for hating us! He thinks we abandoned him!"

Dumbledore tried to appease the group's mounting ire. "I still feel Harry hasn't changed."

Snape gave a snort. "As much as it pains me, Headmaster, I have to disagree. He no longer associates with any of his friends or housemates. In fact, he associates with no one unless forced."

Minerva interjected. "Students say he is seldom in the common room. He is only in the Gryffindor tower to shower and sleep. He is pulling away from everything and everyone. If someone can't reach him and soon, we are going to lose Harry."

ooOOoo

It was true that Harry had cut everyone off. As the days progressed, it was obvious to everyone that Harry had become withdrawn and cold in his interactions with his fellow students. He wasn’t drawn into the petty squabbles taking place around the school because he ignored everyone and soon, they all began to question what happened to Harry over the summer to change him so drastically. 

Harry had taken to spending his time in the library or in the Room of Requirement. The room transformed into a study, supplying Harry with research material on the veil. Dobby made sure he had plenty of food because he only went to the great hall very early in the morning for breakfast and dinner for appearances. He would sneak to the kitchens to grab something for lunch, much to the pleasure of the kitchen elves and Dobby would bring him food and snacks in the evenings. Harry wished he could stay in the room until he was able to finalize his leaving. It would be peaceful and he wouldn't have to deal with the questions from everyone.

20 minutes before curfew, Harry stretched, gathered his things and headed to the tower. He hoped that everyone had gone to bed but there was no such luck. The Weasley kids and Hermione were sitting around the fireplace, apparently waiting for him. Harry stepped through the portrait and continued walking as if he didn't see them. 

"Harry." George called out. "Can we talk with you for a moment?"

Taking a deep breath, Harry turned to face them but moved no closer to the group. 

"Why is it so important now? It didn't seem very important this summer."

"We wanted to, Harry!" Ginny pleaded. "We were told not to because you were in danger."

Harry scoffed. "So I was in danger like I've been ever since I've stepped into this godforsaken school? You lot knew I was in danger but no one saw fit to tell me? Explain to me again why am I standing here talking to you?"

"We're your friends. Dumbledore said we didn't need to worry you." Hermione said. 

Harry felt his anger blaze. "Did you ever think that I was worried when everyone cut me off? Did you think how hurt I felt when I found out I had been left completely alone? Did you even think about how I was dealing with Sirius' death?"

Ron stood his faced flushed with repressed anger at the dressing down. "We didn't know but we figured if Dumbledore said you would be alright, he was checking on you!"

Harry scoffed. "Yet you never bothered to try yourselves. You were in touch with Hermione! She could have used muggle post. Hell, she could have come over to the house!"

Hermione gasped, shocked that she had missed such obvious methods. "Oh, Harry! I'm so sorry! I didn't even think about..." 

Harry shook his head and turned back to the stairs. "You didn't think because you weren't told to think. In fact, I'm fairly certain that this 'intervention' was set up by your handler." 

As he reached the middle of the staircase, Harry turned back to look at the pale faces below. 

"There is nothing you can say that will change the situation. You can let your handler know that it’s over and I'm done. Soon he won't have to worry about me at all." 

ooOOoo

To Harry's surprise, the next person to question him wasn’t another Gryffindor. Draco Malfoy sat down at his table in the library without invitation. 

"So what's with you, Potter?"

Harry looked up and stared at Malfoy for a moment. "What do you mean?"

Malfoy gave him a look of disbelief. "You no longer associate with granger and Weasley. You quit quidditch. You've started burying yourself in your books. You are in the library, for Merlin's sake!"

"Let's just say I should have taken heed to your advice our first year about whom to associate myself with." Harry replied

Malfoy sat back with a rather smug look on his face. "Well better late than never, Potter."

Malfoy pulled out his own books and began to work on his own homework. With the exception of asking questions about their potions assignment, the two shared a rather companionable silence until Madam Pince came to inform them about curfew. 

"This has been interesting, Potter.” Malfoy commented as he gathered his things. 

Harry had to agree. It was nice to just sit with someone and not have to explain your actions. He knew he and Malfoy would never be best friends but at least they didn’t have to be enemies. 

ooOOoo

Harry was surprised his meeting with Dumbledore hadn't taken place sooner. When the timid first year approached him with the note, Harry could feel all eyes from the Gryffindor and the head table focused on him. He politely thanked the little girl, giving her a smile, causing her to blush and bounce back to her seat. Turning his attention to the note, Harry made sure to school his face against any reaction at all.

_Harry,  
My apologies for not contacting you sooner. Join me for tea after supper in my office at 6:30. I am very fond of licorice whips. _

_Albus Dumbledore_

Tucking the note into his pocket, Harry resumed eating his breakfast. He was not looking forward to the meeting but he was curious to see what Dumbledore had to say. Harry hadn't forgotten about the prophecy in his research on the veil but now he couldn't help but wonder what else Dumbledore, the keeper of secrets, had in store for him?

ooOOoo

Harry expected Dumbledore to begin questioning him about the changes in his behavior. Instead, he began to tell him the story of Tom Riddle, A.K.A. Voldemort. Harry was stunned to find out that the man was an orphan, born into a loveless relationship between his parents. Harry felt a little sorry for him, understanding what it was like to grow up with no one caring about you. It wasn't until Harry got ready to leave to return to his room did Dumbledore bring up Harry's friendships or lack thereof. 

"I've noticed, my boy, that you aren't on the best of terms with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley as you were before."

Harry bristled at the "my boy" but held his temper. "No sir." He answered truthfully.

The twinkle dimmed in Dumbledore's eyes. He half-expected Harry to deny it was something serious. 

"May I ask why?"

"Sir, it's the prophecy. If I'm the one that has to ultimately face Voldemort, I felt it was time to focus on being prepared. I need to be ready do what needs to be done." Harry replied, his thought on his preparations for the veil. 

"That may be, Harry, but you are still young. You should still be doing things you enjoy." Dumbledore replied. Dumbledore was surprised to see Harry's eyes harden as the young man stood. 

"With all due respect, sir, there has never been a time in my life where I was truly free to do things I enjoyed. Sirius' death has taught me that frivolity can lead to your death. He didn't take Bellatrix seriously and looked what happened. I won't be making the same mistake."


	3. Chapter 3

Harry's first meeting with the goblins was scheduled for Halloween. With the huge feast planned and the general excitement, Harry figured it would be easy enough for him to slip away. The plan was to sneak out the tunnel that went to Honeydukes and use his Gringotts portkey from there. October slipped by quickly. Harry and Draco called a truce and met once a week, unofficially, to work on Potions homework. The book Slughorn had given Harry to use was full of details that help Harry to understand Potions better that Snape had taught it and as a result, his potions grade began to improve. 

His academic improvement didn't sit well with Hermione. She couldn't understand how Harry was doing so well without her assistance. She nearly lost it when she stumbled on Harry and Draco studying in the library. After having a fit that resulted in her getting kicked out of the library by Madam Pince, Harry would catch his former friends watching him but not approaching. Harry did discover his hunch about Hermione and Ron reporting his actions back to Dumbledore correct when the headmaster brought up the fact that Harry was now studying with Draco. 

"I think it's good that you are reaching out to members of other houses but in light of what's going on in our world, do you think it's wise for you to form a friendship with young Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked as he and Harry sat down for another pensieve "lesson".

Harry frowned slightly, deciding to play dumb. "Forgive me, sir, but, why would that be a bad thing?" 

Dumbledore's eyes lost some of their twinkle as he tried to figure out how to word his concerns without inciting Harry's anger.

"I just don't want to give young Malfoy the opportunity to sway your thoughts."

"We meet once a week to work on Potions essays. I'm not sure what you are implying, sir." Harry continued to feign ignorance but inside, he was beginning to boil.

"I was under the impression there was more to it. I wasn't aware those was the only time you were meeting with him. I would hate for him to share the doctrines taught by his parents." Dumbledore replied, quickly backpedaling.

Harry made sure his face was a mask of confusion. "But, sir isn't that type of thing you are fighting against? I mean, with what you are showing me about Voldemort, because he wasn’t exposed to others because he was Slytherin, his prejudices were allowed to grow and fester until he became the person he is today. I would think that maybe I was having a more positive influence on Draco. I thought the whole purpose of the light was to overcome those antiquated ideas?"

For a moment, Dumbledore was speechless. When Hermione and Ron came to him in a panic about Harry's 'friendship' with Malfoy, Dumbledore feared the worst. Instead, Harry had turned it around and made it seem as if his old friends were the prejudice ones and that Harry was spending his time trying to influence Draco away from the Dark. 

"You are right, my boy. If we can influence one person away from the dark, then we have done a good thing."

Harry gave a smile, that while it exuded warmth, it was still as cold as the winter's snow. He knew Dumbledore didn't mean a word of what he said. If anything, the memories that had been shared with him so far had shown Harry that Dumbledore helped to make Voldemort the vile creature he was today. If he had taken an interest in the young Tom instead of shunning him because of his abilities, maybe Tom would have turned out differently. Harry had no doubts that he would still be dark but it may have been possible for him to not turn out evil.

_"Or insane!"_ Harry mused as Dumbledore pulled out the pensieve to share yet another memory with Harry. 

ooOOoo

The day before Halloween, Harry was surprised by a most unexpected conversation. He was alone, walking back to the common room when he was stopped in the halls. 

"Can I talk to you for a moment? Privately?" Ginny asked. 

Harry was tempted to refuse but he considered maybe hearing her out would stop the rest of the crew from trying to force his forgiveness. Harry nodded and followed Ginny to an empty classroom. After casting a locking charm and a muffilato charm, Harry sat on the top of the teacher's desk. The uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

"You wanted to talk." Harry finally said. 

Ginny sighed and sat at the student table in front of Harry. ""First, I do want to apologize, sincerely. You have every right to be angry and we were wrong to expect you to just be okay with everyone."

Harry didn't say anything. He just continued to watch Ginny with cold eyes. If this was going to be the extent of their conversation, Harry was ready to leave. Sensing that, Ginny began to hurriedly talk.

"Look, Harry, we didn't know that know that Dumbledore was being a wanker about contacting you. We found out from mum and dad that all of this was a big mistake. We still don’t know why Dumbledore did it." 

Standing up, Ginny began to pace. "We all feel horrible. I know it won't make a difference now because you don't trust us but I wanted you to know that Dumbledore is up to something."

That got Harry's attention. "Something like what?"

"I don't know. We were eavesdropping on an Order meeting and he kept talking about needing you to end this war with You-know-who. He wouldn't tell what that meant but he kept saying that he was going to give you private training this school year."

Harry scoffed. "I wouldn't call it training. We just meet and talk. He hasn't actually TAUGHT me anything." 

"The twins know more than I do. Would you be willing to talk with them?" Ginny stopped pacing to stand in front of him. 

Harry sighed. It would be beneficial to have more information. He needed to know if Dumbledore's plans would interfere with his intentions. 

“Sure. I’ll talk to them.”

Harry moved to leave the room. Ginny touched him lightly on the arm, looking pleadingly into his eyes. 

“Is there a chance, Harry?”

Even though she didn’t add anything, Harry knew exactly what Ginny meant. He knew he could never go back to the blind faith he used to have in his friends. He could never regain the trust he had in Dumbledore. For Harry, there was no going back. The blinders had been removed and he could never replace them and be the Harry they wanted him to go back to being. 

Harry could only stare at Ginny, as her eyes began to fill with tears, remembering what it felt like to care so much for someone, remembering when he could hold on to the illusion of family. With a sad, heavy shake of his head, Harry banished the spells on the room and left Ginny alone. 

ooOOoo

The meeting with the twins turned out to be enlightening. Dumbledore knew more about the connection between Voldemort and Harry than he was sharing with the Order. Even with them questioning Dumbledore extensively, he refused to explain to the group, just alluding to the fact it had something to do with his scar. Rubbing it self-consciously, Harry knew he would bring this up with the goblins. Maybe they could tell him something. The twins were willing to spy for Harry in atonement for falling for Dumbledore’s manipulations.

Slipping out of Hogwarts was easier than Harry anticipated. Everyone was excited about the upcoming feast and no one really noticed that Harry was not involved. Those who knew him knew that Halloween wasn’t a favorite time of year for him after his years at Hogwarts. Harry used that to his advantage. Wrapped in his invisibility cloak, Harry had no problem making it the tunnel that led to Honeydukes. Easing through the crowd in the store, he was able to get out and ducking into an alley, Harry used the portkey that swept him away to Gringotts. 

After his less than stellar landing, Harry was rushed into a private room to meet with Gornuk.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. We have much to discuss. It would seem that your Godfather named you heir to his estate. The will reading was this summer but since we now know your circumstances, we understand why you were not present.”

Harry could feel anger began to bubble up inside. “Does anyone know what I was left?”

Gornuk gave an evil smirk. “No. It is our tradition to only read the parts of the will to those present. Your headmaster was quite upset to not know what Lord Black had detailed for you.”

Harry returned the smirk, pleased that the goblins had honor. “I thank you. Is it possible for me to hear the will?”

Gornuk stood. “I thought you would be interested. Follow me.”

After going through what felt like a maze for Harry, he was in another room. A large desk with a dark wooden box sat in the middle of the room. Two large chairs were in from of the desk with a table in between them. Torches burning with magical fire lighted the room. A tea service was set up and Harry was offered a cup before they began. Gornuk opened the box and retrieved a dimly glowing orb. 

“When you hold this in your hand, it will sense your magic and begin to read the part of the will pertaining to you.”

With a nod, Harry took the orb. For a few minutes, nothing changed but suddenly, the orb began to glow gold and Sirius’ voice filled the room.

ooOOoo

_"Hello, pup. If you are hearing this, I am truly gone. There is so much I wanted to share with you and I hate that I won't get to do it personally."_ There was a throat clearing and then he began to read the will.

_"I, Sirius Black, being of sound mind and body hereby share the reading of my will. To my Godson, Harry James Potter, my entire Black estate. This includes the title of Lord Black. This also includes all Black holdings. Grimmauld Place is yours do with as you wish, although I suggest burning it to the ground! The goblin over the estate will give you all the paperwork to transfer ownership of the house and the vaults. At this time, I am also revoking access to any Black vault, with the exception of their dowry vaults, from Narcissa Black Malfoy and Bellatrix Black Lastrange. Because they are followers of Voldemort, they are hereby removed from the House of Black. So mote be."_

Harry took a deep breath. He didn't think that hearing Sirius' voice again would affect him so much but now was not the time to breakdown. He could feel the magic of Sirius' vow take place but he wasn't sure what that meant. Before he could ask, Sirius' voice rang out again. 

_"Harry, just know I would never leave you intentionally. Please follow your own mind and don't allow Dumbledore or any other members of the Order to push you into something you don't want. Something is up, pup, but I didn't get a chance to find out. Don't trust them. Just know that I love you and I hope to see you again one day on the other side."_

As the orb faded, Gornuk and another goblin began to give Harry a multitude of papers to sign but his mind was half on the task before him. Gornuk could sense this and scheduled another meeting for the following week to thoroughly explain what was going on but gave Harry a stack of papers to read through. Harry nodded and with the return portkey, found himself back in the Hogsmeade alley. Making his way back to Hogwarts in a daze, Harry didn't have the appetite to stop by the feast. Instead, he went straight to his bed and drew the curtains. After applying the strongest sticking and silencing charms he knew, Harry did the one thing he wanted to do the first time he heard Sirius' voice again. 

He cried. 

It wasn't gentle, sad tears. It was the great gulping sobs of finally realizing that Sirius was gone, truly gone. Harry had spent so much time being angry that he hadn't completely processed that Sirius was gone and unless Harry was successful, he would never see his godfather again. Gradually, the tears stopped and emotionally exhausted, Harry began to slip into darkness. 

_"I'll see you again, Sirius. I swear I will."_


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry finally gets hints about his future and he gets a chance to stick it to Dumbledore. Also, Hermione gets a clue.

A more composed Harry met with Gornuk and another goblin the following Saturday. Harry was curious that another goblin was present but for the moment, he was content to wait for an explanation. Sirius, as the last remaining Black heir, was the owner of a large estate. Because he had been in Azkaban, it was largely untouched. Going through the paperwork, it was discovered that Narcissa and Bellatrix were using other obscure Black vaults. While Harry was sure that Lucius Malfoy was controlling the vaults for Narcissa, he was certain that Bellatrix was funneling her money directly to Voldemort. 

"What did the removal of those two from the Black family do to them?" Harry asked. 

"By removing them from the Black family," a goblin named Mortick replied. "He has cut them off to any claim as Black family members. They are only members of their married families now. They cannot claim their family publicly now nor can their offspring or any future offspring."

Harry felt a vicious stab of delight. "Do they know?"

Gornuk gave a vicious smile of his own. "Oh yes. Any Black holdings immediately locked them out. Any Black heirlooms returned to the Black vaults. They also have received written notifications."

Harry briefly wondered if Draco would change towards him but dismissed it. With the progression of his plans in a few months, Draco would be left behind as well. There was no point of being attached to people. 

"Would anyone else be notified?" Harry wondered

"Not of what took place in terms of the will reading. They don't know right now who is the new Black heir. However, because of the change in ownership, all Black properties went into lockdown. Any wards have been reverted to family status. You are the only one with access to any of them at the moment." Gornuk replied. 

Harry muffled a groan. This revelation meant that Grimmuld Place was locked down. He knew this would mean another meeting with Dumbledore. Dumbledore would want access to the old house for the Order meetings and Harry wasn't going to allow that. Gornuk seemed to know what Harry was thinking. 

"If I may make a suggestion? One way to determine ownership is calling the house elf. If the elf that is bound to the house is no longer there, no one will know who the house owner is."

Harry perked up. "Kretcher!"

Kretcher popped in. The foul creature was mumbling about how the 'half blood was disgracing the House of Black' and more ranting about his poor mistress. 

Reaching down to remove his shoe and a sock, Harry held the items in his hands. He felt angry at the elf for betraying Sirius and leading to his death. In Harry's opinion, this would be too good for him. Thrusting the sock into the hands of the ranting elf, the room suddenly fell eerily quiet. 

"Kretcher, you are no longer bound to the House of Black. You are free. As the head of the House of Black, I forbid you to enter any Black property from now on. You are forbidden to speak any of the secrets of the House of Black." A thoughtful look came across Harry's face. "You are forbidden to even acknowledge you once were the elf for the House of Black. You are a shame and a betrayer to the name Black. Your name is no longer Kretcher as punishment for betraying Sirius Black, Lord of the House of Black, and leading to his death."

Harry was shocked to see the change in Kretcher. His face went from glaring malevolently at Harry to shocked disbelief. The critter fell to his knees, clutching the sock, thick, copious tears streaming down his face as pitiful wails pouring from his throat. Harry stood looking at him helpless for a moment. He never was good with crying. 

"Um, what can I do with him?" Harry turned and looked at Gornuk with worried eyes. 

"For a fee, we can bind him to St. Mungo's. Elves without families are usually sent there or to Hogwarts to work" 

Harry considered this. It would be the best way to get rid of the treacherous elf without killing it. The punishment of being renamed and having to serve those who the elf felt were less than worthy would be fitting.

"Do it."

ooOOoo

After the sobbing elf was taken away, they got back to other business. Harry made sure to have Grimmauld Place cleaned, all dark artifacts removed and stored in a secure vault. However, the first thing he wanted done was the removal of Walburga's picture. He didn't care how it was done, even if the whole wall have to be taken out, he wanted the screaming banshee gone! Harry planned on spending some time at Grimmauld during Yule before he left and he wanted it to be peaceful. It was the only way he could be close to Sirius and he intended to treasure that time. 

Once they finished finalizing those details, Gornuk finally explained the presence of Mortick. 

“This is the goblin who handled your accounts when you went to the past.”

Harry was awestruck as Mortick began talking. “I’m meeting with you to make the arrangements necessary for you when you arrive in the past. Before you ask, I cannot share where you will be and what will happen. When you enter the past, I will be your account manager.

For the moment, Harry held his questions. Working with Mortick, Harry was able to begin setting up his school arrangements. According to the goblin, the easiest way to proceed was to work with Harry’s true history as an orphan with no remaining family. That way Harry wouldn’t have to remember a complicated lie and people tended not to press for details when you informed them you were an orphan. Closer to the date of leaving, Mortick would share more of the details of Harry’s coming living arrangements. 

“It’s better that you don’t know too much right now. We are already influencing the past so we try to make the changes as finally traumatic as possible.”

Harry frowned but before he could ask a question, Gornuk gave him yet another stack of paper to look over. Soon, the afternoon had passed and as they finished up, Harry realized he was famished.

“Before I leave, Mortick, what did you mean by influencing the past?” 

Mortick gave what passed as an indulgent smile to the young wizard. “Your presence in a time that you were not born will cause ripples. My job right now is to ensure that you don’t go back and cause a big rip in time.”

Shocked, for the first time, Harry wondered if he was doing the right thing. “I didn’t know… I didn’t think it would… Why haven’t I noticed anything different?”

Mortick gave a chuckle. “Young wizard, you won’t. Because you haven’t technically made any major changes in this time yet, anything that would be noticeable to you won’t happen until after you leave. There may be some small ripples right now. You may or may not realize the subtle changes but it is nothing to worry about. I must admit, your past self was very meticulous, except for one notable thing… and no, I will not share that information with you.”

ooOOoo

It was the next day before Harry was summoned to see Dumbledore after dinner. He was surprised when Hermione approached him with the message. He thanked her and turned to walk away, her voice stopping Harry in his tracks. 

“Harry, I just don’t want to throw away our friendship. What can I do to make it right?” She pleaded. 

Harry sighed. His thoughts were already heavy with the scant information from Mortick and this was something he didn’t want to deal with at the moment. 

“When you learn to think for yourself and not trust authority figures so blindly, maybe then we can talk.”

Harry could see that Hermione wanted to argue her displeasure but his final words stopped her. “Just consider if your parents treated you the way my relatives treated me. What would the muggle authorities and your muggle headmaster have done in that situation?”

Hermione’s face went pale and her eyes welled up with tears. She couldn’t say anything as she watched Harry walk away. She wasn’t aware of the wizard laws regarding child abuse but she knew the muggle laws didn’t tolerate it. A muggle headmaster would have reported her parents to the authorities at OFSTED and they would have been investigated and probably arrested. Walking slowly to her dorm, Hermione’s thoughts were shattered. She knew how Harry was treated by his relatives and with Dumbledore being aware as well, still insisted on sending Harry back to that hellhole. 

_“Why? Why was it so important for Harry to go there?”_

Hermione also realized Harry was up to something. The thought he was leaving the grounds never crossed her mind but Harry had shut all of them out. She could tell Dumbledore was worried because of the constant questions. He pushed for her and Ron to get back in Harry’s good graces. Ron was all for it, if only for the recognition of being “the boy who lived” best friend. Hermione, however, understood how Harry felt. At his worst moment, everyone abandoned him and it wasn’t right, in her opinion, that everyone just expected him to ‘get over it’. 

The more Hermione thought about it, the worse she felt. For the first time, the blinders regarding Dumbledore and the other authority figures she had once respected undeniably began to fall off. 

_“They had to know how Harry was being treated and they let it happen because Dumbledore said he was fine or that Harry was exaggerating. No one questioned him… not even the ones who said they loved him.”_

Reaching the dorm, Hermione crossed the common room quickly. She heard but ignored Ron and Ginny calling out to her. Right now, her focus was on figuring out something and besides, she didn’t know if she could stomach talking to a Weasley, knowing the role their parents played in the breakdown of Harry. Grabbing a quill and a stack of parchment, Hermione spelled her bed curtains closed and began making a list. She recorded every time they had went to any adult about what was going on with Harry. When she completed the list an hour later, Hermione was ill.

Seeing it in writing horrified Hermione to the depths of her soul. 

_“Now I understand why Harry hates us all.”_ Hermione concluded. 

Laid out in front of her was proof that every time they went to someone, it was ignored or brushed aside. Everyone had failed him, even the one Harry had considered his friends. They all abandoned him at the time of his greatest need and that was the last straw for Harry. As Hermione digested this knowledge, the last of her loyalty to Dumbledore and anyone who followed him shattered. The realization hit her that she couldn’t stay in a place that would willfully allow someone to be hurt for their own agenda. Grabbing more parchment, Hermione crafted two letters. They would be sent off first thing in the morning and by Yule, things would be different. 

ooOOoo

Dumbledore could now have a full appreciation of the muggle adage “When it rains, it pours.” All of his carefully laid plans were falling apart because of his decision to isolate Harry. He misjudged the depth of Harry’s grief, and in hindsight, realized he should have known. Dumbledore didn’t want to admit to anyone but when Voldemort possessed Harry in the Ministry of Magic, it frightened him. He knew Voldemort had left Harry but he wasn’t sure if the Dark Lord would have the ability to return to Harry’s body at will. He was afraid that Voldemort would find out his plans through Harry and ruin everything. Instead, Harry hardened his heart and shut everyone out. Dumbledore tried during their various meetings to sway Harry back to his friendship with the others and regaining his trust with the members of the Order but it was obvious that Harry was not going to do it. 

His most recent concern was access to Grimmauld Place. When he tried to floo over to set up for an Order meeting to discuss Harry, Dumbledore was surprised to discover he was blocked. Every means of access was denied and Dumbledore knew that meant one thing. Whoever was the new Black heir had finally heard the reading of the will and ownership had reverted to him or her. He knew Harry hadn’t left the ground to go to Gringotts but Dumbledore had a strong suspicion Harry had been named heir. After a certain amount of time, the heir status would transfer regardless but there was one way he could find out for sure. 

“You wanted to see me, Professor?” Harry asked, entering the Headmaster’s office. 

Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling merrily. “Oh yes, Harry, my boy. Please have a seat.”

There was no talk about why the meeting was arranged until tea had been served. 

“I know I made many mistakes when it came to Sirius and the aftermath of his death.” Dumbledore paused, not missing the way Harry tensed up. “I do, however, I think that Sirius may have named you his heir.”

Harry's eyes narrowed. “That means there was a reading of a will. I wasn’t invited to a will reading so why would you assume I was the heir?”

Dumbledore’s eyes dimmed some. “I’m not sure why you weren’t notified.” Dumbledore lied smoothly. “ I wasn’t privy to who was named in Sirius’ will. However, if you have been made heir, there is a simple test.”

Harry scowled, a look Dumbledore had become accustomed to seeing on the young wizard’s face lately. “What do I need to do?”

Dumbledore’s twinkling eyes amped back up. “It’s quite simple, my boy. Just call Kretcher. If you are truly the Black heir, he will answer your call.”

Harry called out to Kreacher several times but to Dumbledore’s growing dismay, the elf did not respond to Harry’s call. 

Harry’s face showed nothing although inside he was thrilled that plan worked. “What does this mean, Professor?”

“It would seem I was mistaken. Apparently, Sirius did not make you his heir.”

Harry pretended to puzzle for a moment. “Well, who could it be? Aren’t the Malfoys and Bellatrix are also related to Sirius?”

Harry could almost see the wheels turning in Dumbledore's head as he realized the next in line was Narcissa or Draco Malfoy as well as Bellatrix Lastrange. Abruptly, the headmaster stood. 

"Harry, my boy, I'm afraid I'll need to cut this meeting short. I have a few inquires that I need to make."

Harry's eyes narrowed at the thought of the inquiries that Dumbledore could be making but with a mumbled 'yes, sir', he left the office and went back to his dorm. Once he was sure he was alone in the hall, a huge grin bloomed. His plan was coming together and in a few weeks, he would be with Sirius!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ofsted is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills. They inspect and regulate services that care for children and young people, and services providing education and skills for learners of all ages. It's the British equivalent of the American Department of Human Services and Child Welfare.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A long chapter to make up for my absence! I'm officially DrKmoaton now so my schooling is done as far as I'm concerned! I really had planned to have Harry go through the veil with this chapter but unfortunately, he wasn't quite ready to go yet.

The weeks before winter break were uneventful as far as Harry was concerned. There were several meetings with the goblin advisors to finalize more plans. The king of the goblin nation was surprisingly okay with Harry moving his money since it would be returned eventually. The king was aware of Harry's actions in the past and like Mortick, he refused to divulge any information. Harry also learned more in his studies about the Veil. Intent, according to the historian, was important when moving through the Veil. It wasn't possible to go to an exact location but, theoretically, a person could go to the time period that would affect a particular event. For Harry to save Sirius, he would have to focus on stopping the events leading up to Sirius' death. For the first time, Harry wondered how far back in time would he really go. There were so many things that led up to Sirius' death and Harry couldn't figure out what would be the main catalyst that started it all. He could only hope that he would be able to make the necessary changes without screwing things up too badly. 

ooOOoo

Dumbledore still insisted on "lessons" with Harry, not realizing the memories were showing how Dumbledore, subconsciously or not, nurtured the darker aspects in Tom Riddle by turning people against him and openly showing his distrust. Dumbledore's meddling only proved to Tom that some wizards were so deep into their prejudices about dark magic that nothing could sway them. He also taught Tom that power was everything. The young wizard saw how Dumbledore manipulated people and situations to get what he wanted and Tom took those lessons to heart. However, Dumbledore's main concern at the moment was the young wizard sitting in front of him. While there were no indications that Harry was going dark, the changes in the young man's personality greatly disturbed Dumbledore.

Professors still reported Harry's lack of interaction with his classmates. It further bothered Dumbledore that the "Golden Trio" was no longer together. Harry refused to talk to the Weasleys or Hermione and lately, Dumbledore noticed that Hermione was no longer speaking to any Weasley as well. All his plans were falling apart and nothing he said to Harry would persuade him that everything was an honest mistake. It did hurt Dumbledore to see Harry harden his heart against his former friends and refuse any assistance from his professors unless absolutely necessary. Even Snape was at loss on dealing with Lily's son. Harry no longer reacted to any of his jibes and to be honest, his grades improved once he stopped association with his former friends. 

Looking over the list of students who signed up to stay at Hogwarts over the holidays, Dumbledore wasn't surprised to see Harry's name on the list. He was disturbed, however, to see that the Gryffindor tower would be empty except for Harry. This would make it harder to keep an eye on the young man, who had already taken to disappearing for hours at a time. Molly had sent Harry a letter, inviting him to spend the holidays with their family but Harry's reply had her in tears.

ooOOoo

_"Headmaster, I received Harry's reply. We have hurt him terribly." Molly spoke through the floo, her eyes shining with unshed tears._

_Dumbledore frowned. "What did he say?"_

_Molly's voice shook as she read the letter._

_**'Dear Mrs. Weasley,  
While I appreciate the invitation, I have to decline. When I led my godfather to his death, it showed me that I didn't deserve a family or any semblance of one. My sole purpose in life is to destroy Voldemort. Professor Dumbledore has taught me by letting me stay at my relatives for so many years that I can survive without the worry of destroying others. My whole life has been one lesson of there can be no connections, no ties, or the people you hold dear will die. ** _

_**My request to you is to please stop writing. I can no longer accept the responsibility for endangering others and so I am cutting ties. I can no longer have the blood of innocents on my hands. My former friends have understood and I am now asking you to please understand as well.** _

_**Harry J. Potter** _

Dumbledore's heart still ached at the letter. He never intended for Harry to cut people off and to become cold and callous. Dumbledore knew without love in his heart, Harry didn't stand a chance against Voldemort. Over the holidays, he was going to do his best to reach Harry and try to make him understand that he needed his friends for support. He had to make him understand that leaving him with the Dursleys was not meant as a punishment or a horrid lesson but initially, it was for his protection. By failing to realize that the jealousy Petunia harbored for Lily's magic had poisoned her soul, Dumbledore had cursed Harry to a miserable childhood. He wasn't sure if there was enough love left in Harry to even face Voldemort. Dumbledore berated himself for the many mistakes he had made with Harry. Little did he realize his time was running out to rectify them.

ooOOoo

Harry decided to order gifts for a few people. He figured it was the last thing he could do since he couldn't formally say goodbye. While he wasn't changing his mind, Harry didn't realize how hard it would be to leave everything behind and step into the unknown. Hogwarts had been his home and he would miss it. Harry was still determined to save Sirius and that was motivation enough when he felt himself wavering. The letter he sent to Mrs. Weasley was a half-truth. Some of it was a furious jab at Dumbledore for leaving him at the mercy of the Dursleys all these years and for giving the order to cut Harry off during the worst of his grief. 

But the truth was also there because it was plain to Harry that anyone who loved him or was considered close to him suffered greatly, even to the point of death. If he were to remain in this time and still friendly with everyone, Harry would still have cut everyone off. There was just too much danger associated with him. His very presence cost his parents their lives. His recklessness cost him his godfather. How many times had his friends been in danger or targeted because of him? 

Shaking his head to clear the melancholy that descended on him, Harry tried to focus on the gifts instead. He planned to get Draco, Neville, and Luna something. Neville and Luna refused to give up on being Harry's friend and not disregarding his feelings, and Draco, while not a close friend, turned out to be more companionable than Harry would have imagined. The gifts would be something to remember him by, he hoped. Harry had also planned on letters being delivered to them after he had gone through the veil. He felt they deserved the truth and not the rumors that were sure to spring up once it became known that he was gone for good. 

ooOOoo

Harry was grateful for the quiet that descended on the boys' dorms once everyone cleared out. He remained in his bed with the curtains drawn and privacy spells up to avoid the pitying looks from Dean, Seamus, and Neville as well as the conflicting looks Ron gave him. Ron hadn't tried to talk to him since that disastrous report to Dumbledore about Draco. Harry would catch him watching but he was never approached again. He noticed the twins and Ginny watching as well but they stayed back. What surprised Harry was when Hermione stopped talking to the Weasleys. He wasn't sure if it was because of their conversation about Hermione thinking for herself but even Draco had mentioned maybe the only thing they had in common was Harry. Harry had never considered that. Ron had never like Hermione in the beginning, jealous of her smarts and only child status. If Harry hadn't forced him to help rescue her from the troll, Ron probably would have continued bullying the muggleborn. 

Once he was sure the coast was clear, Harry dressed and went downstairs to catch the end of breakfast. He planned on spending as much time as possible at Grimmauld Place but he knew he would have to be seen at Hogwarts or people would get even more suspicious. All the tables were gone except one long table. A few remaining students had done like Harry and waited until everyone left to come eat. other than acknowledging each other presence, there was no conversation between them. Harry spent the time plotting how he could avoid the professors without the cushion of classes and other students. He knew he could probably get away with missing lunch but he knew they would be looking for him at breakfast and dinner. 

The plan was for Harry to disappear on New Year's Eve. The number of wizards at the Ministry would be low and Harry would be able to slip in with no problem. He would floo from Grimmauld Place to the Ministry and with his invisibility cloak, it would be simple to reach the Unspeakable department. The hardest part was getting out of Hogwarts that late at night. The professors would definitely be walking the halls and he didn't doubt that all of them would doubly be on the lookout for him. All of them had been watching him since the beginning of the term and, frankly, Harry found it irritating. He wasn't suicidal but he was sick of being the poster boy for whatever hopes and fantasies Dumbledore and the Ministry had encouraged but Harry was relieved that his time was almost up. He knew if Hermione really knew what was going on, she would tell him he was being foolish but Harry didn't care. Nothing mattered to Harry anymore but saving Sirius. 

ooOOoo

Harry was impressed with the progress the elves hired by the goblins had made on Grimmauld Place. All the dark objects had been removed and the place was bright and clean. The elves went out of their way to make Harry happy and kept him well fed while he was visiting. Using the Black library, Harry was able to find out more information about time travel. It seemed just the very presence of a person out of their time caused subtle changes in time. Depending on the time traveler's actions, those changes could remain subtle or become catastrophic. Harry's goal was to figure out how to prevent Sirius from dying and then trying to find a way back home. Mortick said the Veil did exist in the past but it would be up to Harry to locate it and use it if he so desired. Harry was confused at that last comment. Why wouldn't he want to return to this time to see Sirius alive? Harry almost hated talking to Mortick. He knew quite a few things about Harry but refused to share, citing the fact that he didn't want to adversely affect time or cause Harry to reconsider his journey. It was frustrating to Harry but he was certain nothing would change his mind. 

ooOOoo

It was the 4th day into the holiday break when McGonagall sent him message to meet in her office. Harry could only give a frustrated sigh. He was certain that Dumbledore had put her up to it but he knew that she had been keeping an eye on him as well. At one time, Harry would have appreciated the concern but now he understood they were only concerned when he stopped blindly following Dumbledore. Harry went to McGonagall's office with some trepidation. The last time he went there, it was to tell her about Sirius and the Department of Mysteries. The unexpected blend of sorrow and anger rose up in him and Harry had to struggle to regain his composure as he walked into office. 

McGonagall could see that Harry was struggling emotionally as he came in and sat across from her. Guilt from their last meeting in her quarters remained, therefore she understood why it took him a moment to regain his composure. Instead, she busied herself pouring tea. It was her favorite blend, a strong Scottish brew that she felt would be needed in this situation. Once she turned her attention back to Harry, he had regained his calm and was ready to deal with whatever McGonagall wanted to discuss. Initially, there was small talk about his classes and the noticeable improvement in Harry's grades but too soon, McGonagall struck a nerve. 

"I just want you to know that I don't think it's very healthy for you to spend so much time alone, Mr. Potter,"

Harry frowned. "I'm not alone. I spend time with the people I chose to spend time with." 

"It's not that, Harry". Professor McGonagall replied. "We are all concerned because you are isolating the people who were closest to you."

Harry felt anger bubble up in him, hot and almost painful. "And who are all these 'concerned' people? Are they the same concerned people who felt it was okay to worship a child who had just lost his parents? Are they the same concerned people who thought it was okay to leave a magical child with people who hated magic with all of their souls? Are they the same concerned people who didn't believe me, no matter what I said, because I just wanted 'attention'? Are they the same concerned people who thought it was okay after my godfather died to leave me alone in my grief because someone made the decisions for them?"

Everything Harry said was like a stab in the heart. From the beginning, she hadn't agreed with a lot of Dumbledore's decisions regarding Harry but deferred to him because she had assumed he knew best. It killed her to know how wrong they all had been. Harry was broken and there would be no appeasing him. There was nothing she could think to say that would make it right.

At McGonagall's stricken face and lack of response, Harry stood up. "I don't care about anyone's concern. I'm looking out for Harry and Harry doesn't need the concern of people who want to use him for whatever their purpose is because, funnily enough, those concerned people haven't even deemed it necessary to share that with him either." 

Harry stormed out of the office and Professor McGonagall didn't try to stop him. She wasn't sure how long she sat, ignoring the portraits' questions. It wasn't until Snape came in, having been summoned by several portraits, did the professor finally respond. 

"Minerva, are you alright?" He asked, concerned at McGonagall's pale visage. 

Professor McGonagall shook head. "We have lost him, Severus."

Snape frowned. "Who? Lost who?"

"Harry Potter." She sighed, taking a sip of her tea. 

"Do you think he's gone dark?" Snape had to ask. He knew Voldemort had been showing a great deal of interest in the fact that Harry was no longer friends with his usual group. Snap didn't question the Dark Lord but he was curious as to why the friendship of children held his interest. 

"No." Professor McGonagall replied. "But he will never return to us."

ooOOoo

Harry was done. He didn't care about being at Hogwarts. He didn't care if they did an all-out search for him. He was leaving for Grimmauld Place as soon as it was dark. As he burst into the common room of the Gryffindor tower, he was grateful that everyone had gone home for the holidays. Running up the stairs to the dorm, Harry waved his wand, summoning all of his belongings to his trunk. After double checking to make sure he missed nothing, Harry called out for one of the Grimmauld house elves. 

"Maxie!" 

With a sharp pop, Maxie appeared. "Yes, Master Harry?"

"Take my trunk to Grimmauld Place. I'll be there later tonight."

With a quick nod, Maxie popped out. Harry then headed to the Room of Requirement. He didn't think he'd left anything there but he wanted to check. His plan was to appear at dinner then, as far as Hogwarts was concerned, Harry Potter had withdrawn. As he walked the quiet halls, his anger began to fade and sadness crept in. Hogwarts had been his first real home and the fact that he was really leaving it pained him more that he realized it would. In the same instance, Harry also understood his innocence had been lost and even if he stayed, Hogwarts could never regain that feeling for him. It was time to move on before he became too bitter and jaded. 

ooOOoo

All the professors who were present at dinner noted how melancholy Harry looked at dinner. Only Snape and Dumbledore were aware of the meeting with McGonagall. She refused to come to the Great Hall, despondent over the truths Harry had pointed out. Dumbledore planned to go check on her after the meal but the three of them had decided to wait until the next day to talk to Harry. He was at his wits end. Everything with Harry seemed to backfire and he wasn't sure how to fix it or if it could even be fixed. For the first time, Dumbledore was feeling every bit of his age. As he watched Harry rise and leave the Great Hall, he felt marginally better that tomorrow would be a better day. They would meet with Harry and straighten things out. After all, it would be Christmas Eve and for most people, it brought feelings of forgiveness. Dumbledore could only hope that it would apply to Harry. 

ooOOoo 

Harry went back to the dorm for one last look around. With a heavy sigh, he pulled the curtains on his bed and went downstairs. So many memories assaulted him as he stood in the common room. This used to be his refuge but now everything about it hurt. The only thing he could focus on was the loss of those he thought were his true friends and the pain of the betrayal from his fellow Gryffindors. Pulling the invisibility cloak over his body, Harry stepped through the portrait hole for the last time. It was anticlimactic as he eased out of the castle and made his way to the Whomping Willow. After hitting the knob to stop the tree from knocking him across the grounds, Harry took one last look back. The castle was magnificent in the darkness but it was time for Harry to step forward to his destiny. Without another look back, Harry went into the Shrieking Shack and once past the castle wards, he apparated to Grimmauld Place.

ooOOoo

Christmas Eve morning dawned bright and cold. Harry was confused for a moment when he woke up in the unfamiliar bedroom. It had been the room that he and Ron had shared but with the work done by the elves, it had been turned into a bright, cheery space. After a quick shower, Harry felt more alert and went down to a hot full English breakfast. The elves were everywhere, thrilled to be assisting 'Master Harry'. The first thing was to make sure that his planned presents had arrived. For Draco, he ordered a potions set that was top of the line from a shop in Italy. It also contained ingredients that were rare in England. Perishable ingredients had coupons that could be redeemed from the same shop when Draco was ready for them. Harry also bought Neville a set of magical herbology books from the same shop. It also had redeemable coupons for seeds and cutting for Neville to use. Luna had been a bit harder. Harry finally settled on books on rare creatures that he was sure Luna would love and a necklace that had protection charms embedded. Making sure that they were ready to be delivered, Harry turned his attention to papers from the goblins. All the plans were set in place and ready for New Year's Eve. He had one final meeting with the Goblins scheduled for the day before New Year's Eve but at least for the next week, Harry would spend Christmas alone in Grimmauld Place. Surprisingly, that didn't bother him as much as he thought it would. The remainder of his day was spent lounging and enjoying the first peace he experienced since Sirius' death. 

Christmas day Harry woke to decorations that the elves had put up overnight. Smiling, he went downstairs to find gifts on the kitchen table. He was surprised because he hadn't expected anything so the small pile was a happy surprise. A cup of tea appeared at his elbow as Harry pulled the gifts to him. Opening the biggest package, tears welled up in his eyes as he recognized the sweater from Mrs. Weasley. It reminded him of how simple his life used to be and he did as he had always done, pulled the sweater over his head and continued opening his other gifts. Defense books from Hermione, a handwritten potions notebook from Draco, a plant encyclopedia from Neville and a strange bracelet from Luna with a note to put it on immediately rounded out the gifts for Harry. The remainder of the day was spent curled up in front of the fire, reading his new books. Harry briefly wondered if anyone noticed he was no longer at Hogwarts but banished the thoughts from his mind. Hogwarts and what happened there was no longer his concern. He was warm, well-fed and for the first time in ages, content. 

ooOOoo

Harry would have been surprised to know that he wasn't actually missed until the day after Christmas. Dumbledore figured Harry would probably stay in the dorms for Christmas day. He and McGonagall discussed it and decided not to push the issue after that last explosion from Harry. The next day, however, a concerned McGonagall noticed Harry didn't appear for breakfast. She didn't say anything to the headmaster or any other professors but she decided to check the Gryffindor tower herself. Entering the unnervingly quiet tower made her hair stand on end and a feeling of dread sank into her belly. Her dread exploded into full blown horror when she realized that Harry wasn't in the dorm nor was any of his belongings. Sending off a Patronus summoning the headmaster, McGonagall paced the common room until he arrived with Snape right behind him. 

"Harry is gone. All of his things are gone as well."

Snape couldn't control his sneer. "How do we know the brat is not pulling one of his insufferable pranks?"

McGonagall glared at the Potions professor. "All of his things are completely gone. There is nothing left that even shows he was here." 

Dumbledore's heart sank. Hiding his panic from the others, he gave out instructions, sending Snape off to check with some of his darker acquaintances to see if any of them had heard anything unusual. Once he and Minerva had returned to his office, Dumbledore called Dobby. He hadn't forgotten how loyal the little elf was to Harry. 

"Yes, Headmaster sir?"

"Dobby, have you heard from Harry? It seems he is missing." Dumbledore said to the creature. 

Dobby pulled his ears his eyes drooped sadly. "No, Headmaster sir. Master Harry told Dobby he was no longer needed and to stay at Hogwarts.

"When did he tell you this, Dobby?" McGonagall asked. 

Dobby continued pulling his ears. "Three days ago."

Both of them sighed and Dumbledore dismissed the elf. Sending a message to the other professors, they launched a castle wide search for the missing boy. He also made discreet inquires to the Weasleys. They hadn’t heard from Harry but Dumbledore was also shocked to find that the Weasleys hadn't heard from Hermione since the last day of the term. With things getting stranger and stranger, Dumbledore knew a trip into the muggle world was becoming a necessity.


	6. Chapter 6

The warming charm Dumbledore cast did little to ease the cold dread that filled him to the core of his being. Standing in the quiet, upper middle class neighborhood of Hermione Granger, Dumbledore was shocked to find the home occupied by another family. Greeting them and explaining why he had come by, Dumbledore found out they had purchased the home in mid-November. It had been a steal of a deal because the Grangers were trying to move quickly Dumbledore's blood further chilled when the new owners mentioned it was like Grangers were running from something Speaking with the neighbors, Dumbledore found out that Grangers had moved at the beginning of November but no one could recall a mention of where. 

While he was out, Dumbledore also decided to swing by the Dursleys on the off chance Harry was there. Instead, he found Dudley and his crew of friends terrorizing the neighborhood with snowballs filled with rocks, reminding the headmaster what Harry had endured with those horrid muggles. a quick stop with Mrs. Figg only confirmed what Dumbledore already knew, Harry did not and would not return to the home of his family. Depressed, he returned to the warmth of Hogwarts. Waiting for him was Snape and a still upset McGonagall. He kept them waiting until he took off his outer robes and settled in his chair with a cup of tea. 

"Harry was not with his family." 

McGonagall scoffed. "Did you really expect him to return to them?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I held out hope but no. I still cannot get in Grimmauld Place and apparently the fidelius has changed as well because I could no longer see the home." 

McGonagall frowned. "Did you ever find out who Sirius' heir was?" 

"The goblins refused to share that information." A brief look of annoyance crossed his face but Dumbledore then remembered his other news. "Were either of you aware that The Grangers had moved?"

"To another house? That's not unusual. Muggles do that quite often." Snape asked, his voice full of derision. 

Again, Dumbledore sighed. "No one seems to know where they are. The house has been sold for at least several months. The Weasleys also mentioned they have not heard from Hermione since the break began."

"Her family usually spends part of their winter holidays traveling. Hermione wouldn't leave Hogwarts! I know things have been a struggle lately but surely, she would remain here. She would come to us if she had a problem and she has been trying to reconnect with Harry."

Snape gave an eye roll. "I'm sure her ultimate goal in life is to spend her time trying to get back in our resident celebrity's good graces."

"It's not that, Severus." Dumbledore sounded tired. "Harry needs his friends to help him face You-Know-Who when the time comes. They are his strength."

Barely containing the snort, Snape replied. "They have a funny way of showing it. With friends like those, You-Know-Who would be the least of Potter's concerns. I'm sure they are working under your instruction, however."

McGonagall gave a horrified gasp. "Severus! We know that it was a mistake with Harry over the summer. If we could just get him to understand..."

Snape interrupted. "Let's not make the mistake of thinking I am condoning the actions of Potter but how can you not understand why he is responding the way he is? He has lived his life with **Petunia** ," Snape practically spat her name. "The one person who hated the very ground Lily walked on because of her magic. Yet you keep sending him back to that hellhole for reasons you haven't explained to anyone. When he finally gets a chance to have friends and a mock family, you snatch that away and leave him alone to wallow in grief but refuse to even explain what is going on with You-Know-Who. How understanding do you really expect him to be?"

Snape knew he was being cruel but it was past time for everyone to stop hiding their heads in the sand. He took no pleasure from seeing Dumbledore so defeated but he needed to realize this was his fault. He hadn't mentioned the Dark Lord's interest in the dissolution of the Golden Trio but that was because Snape was trying to figure out with was going on behind the scenes. He was not in the full confidences of Voldemort and that worried him. Snape knew his position had always been precarious and he was worried by the sudden silence on the topic of Harry Potter. 

"Harry has a great capacity to love and forgive, Severus." Dumbledore replied. 

Shaking his head, Snape stood to leave. It was obvious that Dumbledore was not going to accept his part in this whole fiasco. "By attempting to make Potter into your ideal savior, you have singlehandedly proven that sometimes love is not enough." 

ooOOoo

Harry spent most of the afternoon constructing letters to Draco, Neville, and Luna. He sent them all the same letter with a few personal touches. He didn't want them to know too much in case Dumbledore tried to force them to tell but he felt like they deserved to know something other than he just disappeared. After many restarts, Harry finally had a letter that satisfied him. 

_When you receive this, I will be gone. In spite of what you may hear, Voldemort did not capture me. I left voluntarily I realized I made so many mistakes and I've discovered a chance to correct them. I wish I could explain more but I know people will look to you for answers and I don't want to put that strain on you. I don't know if or when I will return but please know that I appreciate the efforts you made to remain my friends after some many disasters. This is so hard for me to do but it has to be done. Even thought I will miss you all, I have to leave in order to make things better and trust me, I don't regret this decision one bit._

_Neville, don't let them force you into taking up the You-Know-Who fight. It's not yours and Dumbledore might try to guilt you into becoming the figurehead for them. You are strong and brave. You will always be my friend._

_Luna, I appreciate your quirkiness and I hope that you keep that. I appreciate your insights, interesting as they may be, and I am wearing the bracelet you so graciously gave me to keep the nargles away. I'll never take it off._

_Draco, I know this may come as a surprise but I was wrong. I let people who I thought cared about me cast a judgment on someone I didn't take the time to know for myself. I don't know if we would have ever become close friends but I do respect you more now and I appreciate your help with potions. I'm sure you'll make a great potions master one day._

_The three of you have made these last few months at Hogwarts tolerable Thank you for that. Perhaps one day, we will meet again._

_Harry J. Potter_

With a sigh, Harry rolled up the parchment. He would leave it with the goblins and the instructions were to not deliver it until he was gone through the veil. It was early evening when an owl that he recognized from Gringotts tapped on his window. Harry had been expecting the missives because it contained the last papers and details for his trip through the veil. His identity would still be Harry Potter but the bank had forged him a background that could not be easily traced, no matter where in time he landed. Harry was miffed at Mortick because the goblin refused to share even the smallest bit of information. All Harry knew that Mortick would be his contact once he landed in his new time line but beyond that, Mortick would not say anything because he said he didn't want to influence any decisions that Harry would make. After most meetings, Harry left frustrated and confused. He understood why he couldn't know but that didn't stop him from wanting to know.

The second envelope was a surprise. It had come through Gringotts, like all of his mail, so he knew it had been checked but Harry couldn't think of who he possibly knew in America! With shaking hands, Harry tore open the letter and almost dropped in shock. It was from Hermione!

_Harry,  
When you read this, I will be in America with my parents. Everything that has happened since the summer really showed me the error of my thinking. I hate that I had to lose your friendship to see that. Once again, I am so sorry that I allowed authority to lead me blindly from my own conscious. I did what you said that day in the corridor and thought about what would have happened if I had lived your life. _

_I was horrified._

_I can't believe Dumbledore and the others allowed this to continue. With that realization, I came to understand that I could no longer stay in a place that could condone these actions. After talking to my parents and explaining what was really going on, they closed up their practice and moved to America. When I left King's Cross, I went to the muggle airport so I couldn't be magically traced and joined them. By now, the ministry should have my withdrawal papers and I was enrolled in Ilvermorny, the American Magical School to start in January_

_I will miss you, Harry, and I hope one day I'll get the chance to make things right with you or at least, get the opportunity to start over with our friendship. I do hope to hear from you but if you chose not to respond, know that I wish you well._

_Hermione_

Harry was stunned. He had never considered that Hermione would actually leave Hogwarts. He would write he to let him know what he was planning to do. In spite of everything, Hermione had, at one time, been close as a sister. Under her bossiness, Harry believed that she cared. It was her overwhelming belief that authority was always right that ultimately undermined their friendship. As he thought about the "Golden Trio", Harry became sad. At least Hermione would have been willing to mend their past rift but Harry knew that Ron was a lost cause. His jealousy of the attention that Harry received was never ending and all it would take was the next incident for Ron to become angry again. Apparently, Hermione had tired of the back and forth as well. He would almost pay to see how Ron would handle Hogwarts alone. 

Setting Hermione's letter aside, Harry went to finish making sure all of the belongings he was taking with him were done. He only had two days remaining and he didn't want to rush and forget something vital. Gringott’s would handle money but Harry wanted to ensure he had some personal items that he didn't want to leave behind. He was tempted to contact Remus to give him access to Grimmauld after he was gone but Harry didn't want Dumbledore to step foot inside of it again. He didn't know for sure if he could trust Remus enough to ensure that didn't happen. The Plan was for the elves to shut the house down and maintain it. The goblins would hire someone who could regularly come by to examine the house and make sure everything was in order. The ideal situation would be to allow someone to live in the house. Harry decided to send a message to Remus to get a feel for his state of mind. Then, he would make a decision. 

ooOOoo

Sitting in the small hovel that was hidden in muggle London, Remus contemplated what had been taking place in the past few months. With the death of Sirius, everything had fallen apart. Remus was sick with worry about Harry. After that last argument in Dumbledore’s office, Remus stopped coming to Order meetings. When Dumbledore came to him about Harry's disappearance, Remus had a strong idea that Harry had been named Sirius' heir after all. Dumbledore told him about the situation with Kretcher but the fact that no one could get into Grimmauld Place was a bigger tell as far as Remus was concerned. It was Dumbledore's fault that Harry no longer trusted them. If there was a way to reach Harry, Remus would beg for his forgiveness but so far, all of his mail had been returned unopened. 

Thus, it was a great surprise for Remus to receive a letter from Harry. He could feel an unusual magic on the letter but nothing harmful. With shaking hands, Remus waited until he was seated at his kitchen table before opening the parchment. 

_Hullo Remus,_

_Before you read this, i want you know this paper is embedded with a charm that will keep the reader from recalling the contents to share with anyone not specified with the letter. I'm sorry it had to be this way but I needed to ensure privacy on this matter and to be honest, I just wasn't sure with you. As you may have well guessed, I am Sirius' heir and I am the one that closed down Grimmauld to the Order. I needed to have a safe place and Dumbledore being able to have unlimited access was troubling to me._

_I wanted to extend an offer to you to live in the home. Arrangements have been made for the upkeep the house while I'll be gone but I really want someone to live in the home. You were one of Sirius' best friends and I know he would want to make sure you had some where safe to live. Consider it and please let me know your response._

_Harry._

Remus stared at letter in shock. The news that Harry was Sirius's heir was not a surprise. The shock came from Harry shutting down Grimmauld place and living there. It was brilliant actually. It was the one place they couldn't look. Dumbledore assumed since Harry couldn't call Kretcher, he wasn't the heir but it was obvious now that Harry had gotten rid of the treacherous elf. It hurt that Harry felt the need to place the charm on the letter but Remus didn't blame him. He hadn't exactly shown himself in the best light to be trustworthy. 

Knowing this would be the only opportunity given to try and show Harry he was will to correct the mistakes he had made. Everything that happened since Sirius' death had shown him that Dumbledore had his own agenda and he was using all of them as pawns. Remus was tired of the games and with the protections of Grimmauld, this would be a perfect opportunity to disappear. Grabbing a quill and parchment, Remus hurriedly replied to Harry. It never crossed his mind to question where was Harry going. 

ooOOoo

Harry hadn't expected Remus to say no but a weight he didn't know he was carrying lifted when he saw the affirmative answer. He knew that Sirius would be pleased with that decision. When they returned, Sirius would be glad to see Remus somewhere safe and out of Dumbledore’s clutches. The major issue now is would he let Remus move in before or after he left. Harry worried that Remus would try to stop him but he hated to just vanish, leaving behind an empty house and a letter. Life was becoming more complicated by the moment. 

ooOOoo

The first thing Harry took on when he woke up was writing Hermione. The letter was harder than he thought it would be but he finally finished it. 

_"Hermione,  
When you receive this letter, I'll be gone. I can't say when I'll return. I have a chance to right a wrong and I'm taking it. I know you think I'm being impulsive but this has been in the plans for several months now. I wish I could share the details but in the event Dumbledore and his people find you, I don't want you compromised. _

_I was surprised to get a letter from you but to be honest, I'm glad we had the chance to clear the air before I departed. I have missed your presence and I will miss you on this journey. Maybe when I return, we will have a chance to reconnect and start over. I wish you well._

_Harry_

It took him most of the day spent in thought but in the end, Harry decided to let Remus move in after he left. He knew Remus would try to convince him to not go after Sirius. Instead, he would have Mortick to meet Remus at the house and explain everything. Harry spent the remainder of the day packing and closing up the house. He would spend the last few hours at Gringotts before going to the Ministry. Harry attempted to take a nap but sleep eluded him as nerves began to creep into his previous calm. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen. He also wondered if a thing like Hermione leaving was one of the small changes Mortick had alluded to. Frustrated, Harry gave up on his nap, gathered his things and headed to Gringotts.

It turned out to be a good thing he went to Gringotts early. By the time Harry finished with the papers that would form his new life as well as gather the things he was taking with him, it was early evening. The goblins showed him to a private room that had a small table and chair and a cot. Mortick stood in the doorway as Harry took in his surroundings. 

“We will send you a meal. I would suggest you try to rest. I’m not sure how long you would travel in the veil and you would need your strength.”

Harry sighed but nodded. As he settled down, Mortick returned with a tray and to Harry’s surprise, sat down.  


“I know you have questions, Mr. Potter. There are a few things I can share without affecting outcomes.”  


Excited, Harry almost forgot about his meal but Mortick motioned to the tray and waited until Harry began eating before he started talking.  


“The first thing is this letter.” Mortick slid an envelope across the table. “When you arrive in your new location, the first thing you need to do is go to Gringotts and ask for me. This letter will provide me with the information I need to set things in motion for you.”  


Harry nodded as he swallowed. “I don’t suppose I can convince you to at least tell me what time I will land in?”  


“Unfortunately, no.” Mortick gave what could be passed as smile with goblins. He had grown to like Harry in the past and while it was hard to not tell him so many of the things he wanted to know, Mortick knew it was necessary. “Things have already been set in motion. If you took time to consider it, changes have already happened around you. Telling you too much would alter the timeline too much.”  


Harry frowned. “But if I’m already making changes to the time line, why would knowing more cause a problem.”  


“Knowing too much could cause you to make different decisions. If you knew certain things, would you even go? You cannot change some things. There are things that are fated to happen but if you knew, you’d try to change them anyway and rip the fabric of time.” Mortick replied.  


Giving a frustrated sigh, Harry stared at his goblin manager. What could have happened that would make Harry even consider changing his mind about this quest? Unconsciously rubbing his scar, Harry finally shook his head. “Fine, I’ll stop asking questions.”  


“Very good.” Mortick returned his discussion to the papers Harry would need to establish himself in his new time. He knew he would not be attending Hogwarts. There was too much of a danger of coming in contact with Dumbledore and him possibly figuring out what was going on. The papers would give him access to his vaults to redeposit his money and collect whatever he needed to begin his schooling in his new time. They also hammered out a plan for Remus and his use of the house. It would be under a fidelius but Mortick would be the secret keeper. The wards would be set to only allow Remus and anyone approved by Mortick to enter. By the time they finished discussing and finalizing, Harry was actually tired and there was still 4 hours before midnight.  


Mortick gestured towards the cot. "Rest, Mr. Potter. I'll wake you an hour before the witching hour. That will give you time to sneak into the Ministry and be in place when the time comes." 

Left alone, Harry removed his shoes and lay down. He didn't think he'd sleep with his mind racing but to his surprise, he was out like a light. 

ooOOoo

Sneaking into the Ministry was ridiculously easy. Even after the events that had taken place that led to the return of Voldemort and the death of Sirius, the ministry did nothing to upgrade its security. With his cloak and a charm to soften his footsteps, Harry had no problem leaving the floo and sliding into the elevators that would take him to the lower floors. It took a little more work to get past the Unspeakable department. They were more alert and those who were magically sensitive seemed to notice his presence but with his invisibility cloak, they were unable to see him. Harry was just grateful that MadEye wasn't on duty, none of the others had an eye like his, or he would have been busted. 

Finally reaching the room where the Veil was stored, Harry could only stare. Ragged cloths fluttered by an unseen wind and Harry could faintly hear disemboweled voices crying out. Letting out a shaky breath, he mounted the steps, memories flooding his brain of the last time he was in this room. Harry could still hear the echoes of the fighting around the room. As he finally stood in front of the opening, Sirius falling through the veil after being hit by Bellatrix's spell replayed like a bad movie through Harry's mind. For a moment, Harry hesitated. This was it. If he didn't go now, Harry knew he never would try it again. Mortick told him he had to focus on what his intentions were and keep moving until the veil released him. 

_"I'm afraid."_ Harry thought. _"But it's time to take back charge of my life."_ Clearing his mind and with his thoughts solely on saving Sirius, Harry took that final step.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Harry finally did it! I know this chapter was long, at least for me, but I couldn't find a good break point so I just kept it going. I hope you enjoy it!


	7. Chapter 7

Harry didn't know how long he spent in the veil. He walked but was amazed that he wasn't getting tired nor did he feel hungry. Harry kept his mind focused on saving Sirius and staying on the path that mysteriously appeared at his feet. It felt like stone under his feet but Harry couldn't see it well. The sides of the path were dark and Harry could hear what sounded like muffled voices coming through the darkness. A few times, he thought he saw eyes but they would disappear before he could truly focus on them. While curious about what lay beyond the path, instinctively, Harry knew he would be lost forever if he wandered off the path. It did cross his mind briefly if he would join his parents but he knew now was not his time and the idea of saving Sirius kept him moving forward. 

Eventually, Harry began to see what looked like daylight ahead of him. For a long while, it didn't seem to get any closer but suddenly, he was standing in from of an archway with a similar appearance to the one he crossed through in the Ministry. Harry hesitated for a moment. 

_"Where will I be?_

He couldn’t go back and now was the time to move forward. With a shaky breath, Harry moved through the veil and promptly tripped over a stool.

ooOOoo

_"So the veil wasn't always in the big room!"_ Harry groused as he hurried hid himself, panicking that he would be discovered because of the noise. Harry's heart rate gradually slowed once he realized no one had come running into the room, ready to capture him. Looking around, Harry could see he was in some type of lab where they were because the veil. 

_"It would explain why a bloody stool was in front of it!"_ Harry mused. He could see a still steaming cup of tea sitting on a workbench, which meant someone would be returning shortly. Fumbling in his bag, Harry grabbed his studying invisibility cloak and covered himself, quickly crossing the room to the door. Easing into the hallway, Harry wandered rather aimlessly, hugging the wall until he could figure out where he was in the building. Dodging the bustle of wizards who were moving about their daily routines, Harry finally made it to the atrium. He debated about heading for the street entrance but decided it would be quicker to head to the Gringotts' floo instead. Finding an out of the way corner, Harry removed his cloak and stowed it away. Waiting for a large crowd to come by, Harry allowed himself to be swept along until he reached to proper floo. It was with a sigh of relief that Harry swirled away in green flames.

ooOOoo

Mortick knew when he arose that morning, something major was going to happen. While he held no stock in the wizard's version of divination, Mortick couldn't explain the strong feelings he had as he entered his office version the depths of within. Most of the morning was uneventful. The typical paperwork flew across his desk and as it near lunchtime, Mortick began to wonder if he was mistaken. That thought persisted until one of the goblins who manned the main customer counter came in trembling. Mortick frowned when the goblin just stood there.

"Well speak, you buffoon!"

The goblin held out a trembling hand. "A young wizard bought this in with explicit instructions. This was for your eyes only."

Mortick felt his stomach drop. Wizards rarely came in making demands or insisting on a particular goblin unless it was their personal account manager. Taking the letter from the quivering goblin, Mortick was stunned to see his own handwriting on the seal of the letter. Brusquely dismissing the goblin, Mortick broke the seal with trembling fingers. After reading it several times, Mortick quickly went to the Goblin King's office. This was going to be a huge undertaking. 

ooOOoo

Harry wasn't sure how long he sat in the small office he had been bustled into once the goblins saw the seal on the letter he carried. He knew lunchtime had passed because he was served sandwiches and tea by a goblin that glared at him but refused to answer any questions. The late hour of leaving from his time, the excitement of the day combined with his fullness after lunch caused Harry to drift off, resulting in him being startled awake by Mortick himself. 

"Young Lord Potter. It would seem we have much to discuss."

Harry followed the goblin to a large office. The younger version of the Goblin King was there along with Mortick and another goblin Harry had never seen before. Once everyone settled, the King began to explain. 

"It would seem that you have come back to our time. According to this missive," He stated, waving the parchment. "You are establishing yourself and we are doing everything in our power to protect your identity to prevent damage to the time continuum."

"What year is this?" Harry asked. 

The goblins looked shocked for a moment. The King finally spoke. "It's January 1, 1945." 

Harry was stunned. He had no idea he would go back so far in time. Why was he sent to this point in time? How would it save Sirius?

The Goblin King allowed Harry a moment to collect his thoughts. The letter made it clear that Harry had not been made aware of what time he would land in nor what he would do during his time there. After receiving a nod from the stunned young man, the Goblin King then laid out their plans. Harry would still live as Harry Potter, at the moment, no relation to the current Potter family. The person identified as his guardian was en route to Gringotts, having been notified by owl. His vaults were opened and Harry was given a key. By the Harry finished signing papers, a wizard was shown in the room. Stunned to see a man whose features were similar to his, with messy dark hair and green eyes a shade lighter, Harry couldn't help but return the welcoming grin.

"Hello, I'm Caleb Dearborn."

ooOOoo

As Caleb explained to Harry later, he was a born Seer. He knew Harry was coming but like all forms of divination, it wasn't clear when he would arrive. He knew his role would be to make sure Harry was safe and in time, the entire story would be clear. When the owl arrived, Caleb hurried to the city. He knew it would take some time because of how far out he lived from London but he was excited to start this chapter in his life. He wasn't expecting for Harry to be so young but that would make his prophesied job easier. 

"Hello, Mr. Dearborn." Harry greeted, extending his hand to the wizard. 

Taking Harry's hand, Caleb was surprised to feel the pulse of magic from the young wizard. "None of that Mr. Dearborn posh. I'm Caleb and since you will become my ward, I insist on being called Caleb. Mr. Dearborn is my dad and I’m not old enough for that! " 

The two shared a laugh. A grumble throat clearing gained the pair's attention and they returned to the business at hand. Papers were signed legally making Caleb Harry's guardian and ensuring his protection. Caleb would also be responsible for continuing Harry's education until he became of age. To Harry, it seemed like ages before they were finished signing all types of parchments and were finally free to go. Caleb was given a port key that would take them to Harry's new home faster. Grabbing hold of the object, the two whisked away in an instant.

ooOOoo

"Welcome to Pembroke!" Caleb exclaimed as Harry struggled to get his feet back under him. He hated travel by port key under the best circumstances and this long distance was the worst. They landed out in the country and Harry was immediately taken with the serene setting. Caleb led to way into a wood framed cottage and Harry felt instantly at home. The front room was the sitting room and kitchen combined with a huge hearth on the far left wall. Filled with cozy furniture and a huge wooden dining table, Harry could easily see himself living there. 

"Come on, let me show you your room." Caleb called out, waiting for Harry to follow him down the hall. "It's not a very big place but at least you'll have your own bath. It'll just be the two of us so we should be good." Opening the door at the end of the hall, Caleb let Harry enter first. "I know it's probably less than what you are used to but I hope it's okay."

Harry stood in awe of the spacious room. It had large windows that let in the sun so the room was bright with a huge stuffed chair beside it. A huge bed sat in the middle of the space, covered with what Harry thought was a ton of fluffy covers and pillows. An empty bookshelf sat on the wall near the head of the bed on the left and a nightstand with a lamp on the right. An armoire was on the other wall for Harry's clothes and the door beside it led to his private bathroom. It was small but it was neat and functional. It was more space that he had ever had of his own in his life. He didn't realize it but Caleb could see the appreciation shining in his eyes.

"It's perfect."

ooOOoo

Harry was surprised how quickly he fell into a routine. It was a week before his tutor was lined up so Harry spent his time exploring the town. His favorite spot turned out to be Pembroke Castle. It reminded him of Hogwarts and it made Harry feel a little better about being so far out of his time. The magicals in the town were polite but didn't really approach Harry and he was grateful for that. He didn't feel like trying to explain his sudden appearance. He also found out that most of the magicals were home schooled until they were school aged then they usually went to school at Beauxbatons. Because of Harry's age, the tutor would be his best bet to prepare him for his OWLS and NEWTS. 

He was also surprised to learn how Caleb being a seer actually worked. Caleb had the ability to receive visions of the future but he couldn't tell exactly when events would take place. Caleb tended to not share his visions unless they were life or death. He told Harry that was part of the reason he lived outside of town. He learned young that people would try to exploit his gift. He would go to town on occasion but Caleb lived very self-sufficiently on his few acres of land. Harry discovered he enjoyed gardening now that he wasn't forced to do it. They grew most of the vegetables they ate, plants for potions, and bought meat from town. 

Harry's tutor turned out to be strict but funny. Calliope Jones-Jones was from America but married her husband and moved back to his hometown of Pembroke. Her husband worked on the fishing boats but with World War II, there had been a decline in fishing so Calliope started tutoring to help make money. In many ways, she reminded Harry of Hermione. Smart, headstrong, and determined that Harry would learn what he needed to know. Spending his day with Calliope working on his magic helped Harry to forget what he had left behind and focus instead on his goals. 

There were still times when homesickness hit Harry hard. Even with all the trials that were happening, Harry discovered he missed Neville, Luna, and even Draco. He would think about Sirius and his heart ached. On those days, Harry would spend time curled up in his big chair by the window and brood. It would last until Caleb decided he had moped enough and rousting Harry out of his funk with a walk to the nearby beach. They would sit and talk until Harry felt better. Harry still hadn't told Caleb everything before his arrival but Caleb was well aware that day would eventually come so he didn't push it. 

All and all, Harry's time with Pembroke was idyllic. He went to the London Gringotts twice during his first year, usually to sign papers. This was also the time Harry and Caleb went shopping for things they couldn't get where they lived. There was one minor incident in London after Harry had been there about six months. Coming out of the apothecary, Harry bumped right into Dumbledore. Mumbling a quick 'excuse me', Harry darted off, not noticing the appraising look he received from the man. Harry just wanted to get away before his panic drew any more attention. Caleb noticed his agitation and Harry realized it was time to share everything with Caleb. 

ooOOoo

To say that Caleb was stunned was the understatement of the century. He knew Harry was from away but his vision didn't show him being from the future. Caleb realized now a lot of Harry's little quirks made sense because of him being from a different time period. It had gotten dark by the time Harry finished telling of his journey from the future.

"What do you hope to accomplish?" Caleb asked. 

Harry looked up from his cup of tea that at some point in the tale, Caleb had thrust into his hands. 

"I have to save my godfather."

"But what about the others who might be affected by your changes? Why not save your parents instead? Wouldn't that save your godfather as well?"

Harry swallowed. "I didn't know I would come back this far. I never considered that. I thought it would cause too much of a change in the future. If there is a chance I could save them..."

Caleb agreed. "Some things are fixed points in time. There's no guarantee that you could change them."

"So you are saying my parents still will die?" Harry whispered. 

"It’s highly likely."

After that conversation, Harry warded his door and stayed locked in his room for three days. He couldn't help but feel that he had screwed everything up. In the back of his mind, he had considered his parents after he found out how far back in time he had gone. Harry often played scenarios in his head of how he could warn them but they hadn't even been born yet and he had no clue where his grandparents were. If he had told anyone else the story that he shared with the goblins and Caleb, he would be locked up forever in the Janus Thickney ward in St. Mungo's. For the first time since he arrived, Harry cried, his soul drowning in sorrow and doubt clouded his thoughts.

_"Oh, Merlin, what have I done?"_

ooOOoo

The first two days, Caleb was able to fool Calliope into thinking that Harry was not feeling well. On the third day, she offered to bring in a healer. Caleb knew he was stuck. If he refused, the tutor would get suspicious but he suspected that she already was. Harry would have to be upset with him but he knew he would have to share Harry's secret with her. She would be teaching Harry for the next few years, hopefully, and he wouldn’t be able to keep her in the dark forever. 

"I think I need to explain what's going on."

After Caleb explained to Calliope Harry's journey, she was curious but to Caleb's amazement, Calliope was not surprised. Instead, she went straight to Harry's door and ripped down Harry's wards. 

"Mr. Potter, you will cease this senseless moping at once!" 

Closing the door behind her, Caleb could only wait while wondering what could be taking place behind closed doors. He didn't hear any explosions so it was safe to say they weren't attacking each other. After an hour had passed, Caleb decided to prepare lunch, hoping the two would come out to at least eat. Harry had been refusing meals as well and he was worried about him. Caleb had just set the table when he heard the door open and Calliope came out with a downtrodden-looking Harry beside him. 

Nothing was said as they sat down at the table. Harry picked at his food first but the hunger won out and he was soon working on his second helping. When they finished up, Caleb banished the dishes to the sink. 

"We all need to talk." Calliope broke the silence. "We need to change the way Harry is being taught."

Both Harry and Caleb looked at the tutor in surprise but they all moved to the sitting room. Calliope laid out her plan. Harry would still learn his OWL and NEWT material but he needed to pick a focus.

"I think it would be best for Harry to go to another country until it is time for him to make his move. He's safe enough here for the moment but when he takes his OWLs and NEWTs, I'm certain his scores will attract attention. I want to push it where he can take them early. He is learning by leaps and bounds. I can have him ready for his OWLs in 6 months."

Caleb frowned. "What would leaving accomplish?" 

Calliope rolled her eyes. "It would allow Harry time to establish his identity and determine how he wants to go about achieving his objective." Giving a sympathetic glance to Harry, Calliope continued. "Harry was so focused on getting here that he didn't completely plan out his next moves."

Harry sighed. "I also didn't plan on being so far back in time. I only thought I'd go back a few years. I don't understand what I could do now that would impact Sirius in the future." 

Caleb also gave a sympathetic glance. "I haven't seen anything that could shed light on that, Harry. Apparently, fate wants you to make major changes and you have to discover those changes for yourself. I've been designated by Mother Magic to be your guide but a lot of this would be for you to discover on your own."

Harry huffed and crossed his arms. "You're as cryptic as Mortick was in my time. He knew all of this but wouldn't tell me anything."

Both of the adults laughed at his petulant expression. "Too much knowledge of what you did would cause too many changes. Some things are fixed points in time. No amount of knowledge would change them." Caleb explained.

Thinking about his parents caused Harry's eyes to well up. "So my parents still will die?"

Calliope patted his hand and Caleb could only shrug. "I can't answer that, Harry. You can here with a particular mission and to be honest with you, saving your parents has nothing to do with saving Sirius."

"But it would keep him out of prison!!" Harry retorted hotly, tears now rolling down his face.

"But that is not your goal! You can't save him from every action he will take. Not without destroying the very fabric of time itself. You want to save his life and apparently, something you will do while living in this time will cause that to happen. You have caused ripples in the sea of time. Some things will move with the ripples but some things will not. You can't force this, Harry." Caleb explained.

Rushing up from the couch, Harry stormed out of the cottage. Calliope and Caleb didn't go after him. Calliope sighed.

"That went better than I expected." 

ooOOoo

1946 came in quietly. The wizarding community still celebrated the old ways so Yule was the big festival day. On December 31, Harry went down to the beach alone. Even with his layers of clothes and warming charms, Harry was still cold. It had been a year since he had taken his leap across time and doubts still plagued him. He couldn't help but wonder what his purpose. 

_"Why now? Why this time?"_

Mortick sent a huge packet of parchments with the notation that he was only allowed to send them at this moment in time according to the instructions from his future self. He also hinted at the fact that Harry would receive other information as it became pertinent to goals. Some of the information provided from his time told Harry Voldemort's identity. Tom Riddle, half-blood, was a stellar student and the darling of the current minister, Leonard Spencer-Moon. Dumbledore was suspicious of him but everyone felt he was being discriminatory because Riddle was a half-blood. It was impressive how much he had swayed many of the purebloods to his side, knowing how staunchly they supported pureblood rights. There was no photo and Harry wondered what was the importance of him knowing about Tom Riddle at this moment. He stored the papers in his trunk, pushing them out of his mind for the moment. 

His thoughts shifted forward to his upcoming OWLs. Calliope wasn't playing when she said she would have Harry ready in 6 months. She was a stern taskmaster but Harry was prepared to take OWLs in everything but divination. After seeing Caleb in action, Harry knew he would never have that skill. Taking the exams at the Ministry would require Harry and Caleb to stay for two weeks in London and that thought unnerved him. He was so conscious of trying to not change the timeline so staying in Pembroke made perfect sense to him. Going to the wizarding world in London increased the chances of running into someone from his future. Harry could only hope that it wouldn't be a disaster. 

Casting a tempus, Harry saw that it was a minute to midnight. Counting down the seconds, he shot of a spray of sparks from his wand as the clock struck midnight. 

_"Happy New Year to whatever may come"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be a significant time jump. The next chapter will refer to some events that happened during that time period but Harry will be 3 years older, making him 18 the next time this is updated. We will also begin to see names that are more familiar as well. I'm excited because Harry finally gets to meet Tom!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please note there is a time skip ahead. It's not an overly long chapter but it's necessary to get the ball rolling. Also, it was pointed out to me in the last chapter that I had Harry's age off by a year so now he's 20.

Time passed quickly for Harry and before he even realized it, three years had gone by in almost a blink of an eye. He didn't forget where he came from but as he matured, Harry wondered if it was because of the time travel or just how busy his life was. He spent the time studying and practicing his magic with Calliope. He also spent time with Caleb, gardening or just talking. Harry was surprised that he developed a love for reading and often spent time on the beach when it was warm or curled up by the fire in the winter, his head buried in a book. Thoughts like that often made him think about Hermione and he wondered how she was faring in America. There were times when he wondered what other things changed when he left and the few times he attempted to query Caleb, he was unsurprisingly mum. It was the most frustrating thing about his relationship with Caleb. Harry could understand why he didn't share all the visions he received but Harry didn't think it would hurt to share a little more. Caleb was adamant about not influencing Harry's choices, leaving the young man often frustrated 

As Harry continued his studies, his love for defense grew along with transfiguration. He often spent time working on merging the two together. When Calliope suggested mastery in Defense, Harry readily agreed. There was a stellar instructor in France but he would not be able to begin with Harry for another year. Harry still received mailings from Gringotts every few months, containing information to help him as he navigated his way through this unfamiliar time. Harry knew he was living a sheltered existence in England but going to France would allow him to flourish then set his plans into motion. 

ooOOoo

The moment Caleb had been expecting but dreading finally arrived. His vision for Harry's next step came as he was out fishing. He knew Harry would have to eventually leave but he had come to love the boy from the future and now he understood how a parent felt when it was time for their child to leave home. He really thought Harry would be there until it was time for him to go France. Caleb broke the news that night over dinner. For a long time, Harry said nothing and just looked pensive. After dinner, he retreated to his room and Caleb allowed him some time alone. A few hours later, Harry came out and found Caleb sitting on the bench outside the front door. 

"When?"

Caleb patted the bench beside him and waited until Harry sat down. "Not immediately. We need to find you somewhere to live and a job."

Harry gave a long sigh. "I know. It's just that..." Harry paused, collecting his thoughts. "This has become home."

Caleb smiled. "Don't worry. This will still be your home. Your moving to London won't change that." 

Giving a tiny smile in return, Harry replied. "I don't know if I'm ready to go."

"Honestly, Harry, I'm not ready for you to go. However, Mother Magic has spoken. Calliope and I have done everything to prepare you and it's time for you to take the next steps to your destiny."

Harry cringed at the word 'destiny' but said nothing. They sat for a while, listening to the sounds of the night. Abruptly Harry stood. 

"I am going to walk down to the beach for a while. I won't be long,"

Caleb nodded and watched his adoptive son walk away. The future showed big changes for Harry and Caleb knew their time was limited. He wondered how much to tell Harry but the letter he received from Gringotts specifically forbade him from telling Harry anything that would cause him to change his future outcome. Combined with his vision, this move would be the catalyst to start it all. Sighing, this was one of the few times Caleb cursed the fact he couldn't be completely open with Harry but he knew to break that vow could cause the destruction of the world. 

ooOOoo

It was another two weeks before Harry and Caleb finally went to London. First on the agenda was finding Harry somewhere to live and the goblins turned out to be a big help. The flat was above a shop on one of the side streets of Diagon Alley, making it quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of the busy main street. The flat was simple but suited Harry. The main room was a large living area/kitchen combined, complete with a floo that would allow Harry to be connected. It had a nice sized bedroom and a decent sized bath. All and all, Harry was pleased. He would be lonely, used to Caleb's presence but he was also eager to finally get to his reason for time traveling in the first place.

The harder issue was finding something to do. With the funds Harry bought with him, he didn't have to work but he knew he would be bored rather quickly and boredom usually meant trouble. To his surprise, a job came most unexpectedly. Calliope sent him to a rare book shop located in the alley called Quinto Bookshop. It was small but surprisingly busy shop and Harry could see instantly that the older man who was working there was overwhelmed. Jumping in, Harry fumbled around but was able to help a few customers. When things quieted down, the man introduced himself while extending his hand. 

"I'm Francis Edward and I am most appreciative of your help today."

Harry gave a sheepish smile as he took the extended hand. "I'm Harry Potter. I hope you didn't mind me jumping in like that." 

Francis waved him off. "Not at all, not at all. I'm sure you came in looking for something."

Harry gave him the name of the book Calliope sent him for and Harry wound up spending the afternoon talking. Once Francis heard that Harry was planning for his defense mastery, he pulled several books off the shelf and thrust them into Harry's arms as "Payment for helping an old man out." Harry was also invited to join Francis for dinner and although he tried heartily to refuse, Harry soon found himself sitting across the table from the bookshop owner and joined by his wife, Eileen at the Leaky Cauldron. Francis explained he was a bookseller and collector of antiques. 

Francis loved attending estate sales and buying up rare books and antiquities. Unfortunately, he had no help at the shop and he couldn't get out as much as he liked. By the time dinner was over, Harry had laughed more than he had since finding out he was moving to London and he was offered a job. Considering it, Harry could see it was a win-win. He would have access to rare books that could help him get ready for his mastery and keep himself occupied at the same time. 

"I accept, Francis!" 

ooOOoo

He couldn't believe his eyes! Fleamont Potter had heard rumors of a young male Potter but hadn't been able to lay eyes on him. The whispers started anew when word got out about his stellar OWL and NEWT scores but it was obvious the boy had never stepped foot in Hogwarts. The little intel Potter could find only indicated the young Potter was home schooled but no one knew where he lived or who his guardian was. The last place he finally expected to lay eyes on this mystical Potter was in the Leaky Cauldron. 

It was immediately obvious to Fleamont that the young man he heard addressed as 'Harry' by Francis Edward was a Potter. He was tall and slim but muscular with the wild dark Potter hair that encouraged Fleamont to develop Sleekeazy's Hair Potion and Scalp Treatment Hair Potion in the first place. Resisting the urge to run over and question the young man, Fleamont made sure to listen carefully so he could retrieve the memory later and analyze it. He was determined to know exactly who this young man was and where he had come from. 

ooOOoo 

If Harry had known he was going to be the object of so much attention, he would have definitely declined the dinner invitation. Sitting in a dark corner, Abraxas Malfoy had the advantage of having an excellent view of the mystery Potter and Fleamont Potter's startled reaction to his appearance. Abraxas unknowingly agreed with Fleamont, the boy was definitely a Potter but knowing the family history of the Potters and their dwindling numbers, it was highly unlikely that this young man was a long lost relative. Fleamont and his wife had no children and Potter had no brothers.

_"But where did he come from?"_ Abraxas wondered. He tuned out his rambling dinner companion, knowing that when he shared this information with Tom Riddle, he would want to see the memory for himself. 

ooOOoo 

The first week of Harry's employment was uneventful. He learned the ropes of the shop and spent free moment seeking out rare texts on transfiguration from the back storeroom. The start of his second week turned out to be more eventful. The biggest surprise was the amount of information that Harry realized had been taken from them because of Ministry fears. So much had been lost to time and it made Harry upset to see all the knowledge that had been lost by the time he entered Hogwarts. 

"Hermione would have a fit!" Harry thought, a pang filling him as he was once again reminded how far out of time he really was. Francis calling his name stopped thoughts that are more melancholy. 

"Harry, someone is here to see you!"

Confused, Harry spelled the dust from his hands and went to the front. Caleb wasn't coming to visit until the weekend and other that Francis and his wife, Harry knew no one in London. Rounding the corner, it took all of Harry's efforts to not stop in his tracks. Fortunately, his visitors had their backs to him so Harry had a moment to school his face to show curiosity and not shock. 

"Yes, Mr. Edward?"

Francis gave a huge smile. "Harry, these gentlemen came by to see you. They seem to be most curious about your presence." Francis retreated behind the counter but he wasn't going to leave his young charge alone with the two men. He wasn’t sure of their motives but their line of questions made him wonder what information they were seeking.

Harry returned Francis' smile and appreciated the warning that the two men had been asking questions about him. He recognized the younger edition of Dumbledore but the other man with him was more of a familiar stranger and he was the one who spoke first.

"Hello, Harry. I'm Fleamont Potter and this is Albus Dumbledore, Professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts."

_"Ah."_ Harry thought as he shook both men's hands. It was weird to see his grandfather in person but he could definitely see the Potter genes were strong. "How may I help you?"

The two men exchanged glances. Dumbledore finally spoke. "Well, we were most curious about your sudden appearance here in London."

Harry frowned, feigning ignorance and irritation. "People move all the time. London one of the larger cities in England."

Giving a nervous chuckle, Potter toyed with the edge of his robes. "Actually, we were wondering who your parents were? Potter is not a common name."

This time Harry didn't have to fake irritation. "My parents are dead. They died when I was 15 months old. I'm an orphan."

The two wizards colored slightly but before they could ask any more invasive questions, Francis intervened. "I think you've done enough, gentlemen. Shame on you for dragging this young man's painful past out in the open. I need you to leave my establishment."

Both men began apologizing earnestly but Harry turned and walked away, not listening. The shock of seeing his grandfather plus being quizzed about parents who hadn't even been born yet hit Harry harder than he expected. He always knew there was a chance he would meet Dumbledore but he never considered meeting his own paternal grandfather. He could easily see why the man questioned him because there was no doubt, physically, that Harry was related to him. As he lost himself in the crate of books, doubts about if he had done the right thing began to plague him once more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Information on Fleamont Potter comes from Harry Potter Wiki. Quinto Bookshop and Francis Edward appeared in the film version of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." The name came from Harry Potter Wiki but the details are my own.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belated Merry Christmas (to those who celebrate) and Happy New Year!! I hope you enjoy!

Having a weekend with Caleb was a great relief from the odd week Harry had been experiencing. The two older men hadn't returned to the bookshop but Harry would catch them out in Diagon Alley, watching his every move. He had taken to spending more time in muggle London during his free time to get away from the probing eyes. It was disturbing to keep see the man he knew to be his grandfather yet being unable to talk with him. Harry was torn between revealing who he was and possibly ruining the future and running for the hills. With Dumbledore's ability to read minds, Harry decided to stay far, far away.

Caleb enjoyed spending time with his young charge but he knew the dilemma that Harry was facing was nerve-racking. Once again, he hated that he couldn't be more forthcoming with his young charge but major changes were ahead and Caleb knew that anything he shared now would result in major changes in the future. He was understandably worried.

 _'Harry doesn't realize it yet,'_ Caleb mused. _'But the past he left behind has been irrocovacally changed forever.'_

The only thing Caleb could offer is support and a shoulder to lean on once Harry came to the realization that even if he went back, nothing would ever be the same.

ooOOoo

Tom Riddle was not an easy man to intrigue but he had to admit that the appearance of Harry Potter had done just that. Seemingly appearing overnight, he had captured the attention of many prominent people initially by his outstanding OWL and NEWT scores despite having never stepped foot in Hogwarts or any other magical school that his spies could find. The young Potter had no apparent ties to the light Potter family but Riddle knew the Potter name was a rarity in Magical Britain. The decisive factor was the fact that Fleamont Potter AND Albus Dumbledore had developed an obsession with the man and anything that captured Dumbledore’s attention was worth a second look. 

The memory Abraxas Malfoy supplied was interesting, to say the least. Seeing him in close proximity to the elder Potter, Harry Potter was definitely all Potter. He had the same messy hair, facial features, and lean frame. The only major difference was the starling emerald eyes that were hidden behind circular frames. Seeing the elder Potter's startled expression in Leaky Cauldron, Riddle could see that he had reached the same conclusion. Regardless of the lack of paperwork on his family background, Harry Potter was a member of the Potter family. Fleamont had no children on his own and there were no other family members that Riddle was aware of that would have a son around Harry's age. The younger Potter was a fascinating puzzle and Riddle intended to solve it. 

ooOOoo

It had been a quiet few weeks for Harry and he was grateful. After that disastrous meeting with his grandfather and Dumbledore, Harry was afraid that they would return. As much as he would have hated it, Harry would have bumped up his plans to go to France sooner if they persisted in finding out his background. Harry knew that his papers with the goblins were iron clad but he wasn't so certain about his own personal will. It was hard to not ask questions about his relatives that were long gone by the time Harry was born. It was spooky to see his grandfather and not be able to share information with him. In his time with Caleb, it had been drummed into Harry's head about not doing too much to affect the future, at least no more than he already had. 

On this particular day, Harry was alone in the shop. On Wednesdays, Francis left Harry in charge of the shop and went to estate sales and muggle antique houses. Harry was surprised at the number of magical items that were found in the muggle antique houses. Frances explained that many muggles thought they were haunted items but actually, they were feeling the magic that exuded from the items. The items often came from squib lines of old magical families that had been passed down through generations who didn’t know of their magical heritage. He was often able to get them very cheap and sell them for a large profit. Harry spent those days organizing shelves and adding the new items to the public areas. A few customers would come in so Wednesdays were usually very quiet days. 

Harry heard the bell over the door ring as he was levitating a rather large tome to a high shelf.  
"I'll be with you in a moment." He called out, not turning because he didn't want to break his concentration. The book was heavy and fragile. If it fell from that height, the damage would be immense. 

Riddle didn’t mind the wait at all. It gave him a chance to observe the object of his curiosity. Pensieve memories did an injustice to the presence of Harry Potter. Tom was willing to bet that he was muscular under the robes highlighting a deceptively thin body if Harry’s slim but muscular arms were any indication. It was also obvious that Harry had a great control of his magic as it gently encased the tome being lifted into the air. The undercurrent of the younger Potter’s magic danced through the air, tantalizing Riddle and ensuring his curiosity was not misplaced. He always enjoyed a puzzle and Harry Potter was shaping up to be a most interesting one. 

ooOOoo

Harry gave a sigh of as the tome landed on the shelf with a gentle thud. It had come in with a shipment of books from Germany and Frances was eager to translate it but hadn’t had time. To keep it out of sight of his more curious customers, it was to be stored out of sight but where it could be properly cared for. Now he was ready to greet the customer who had come into the shop and was patient enough to wait. 

To say Harry was shocked was an understatement. He immediately recognized Tom Riddle from a photo in the bundle from the goblins and could only hope he covered his surprise quickly enough for the man not to notice. 

“Good afternoon. How can I help you?” 

The sudden, bland shopkeeper mask that Potter wore didn’t fool Tom. He had caught the look of surprise at his presence and it only fed the curious fire even more. 

“I’m looking for a copy of several out of date books and your shop was recommended as the place that could possibly help me.” Tom replied, procuring a list from the pocket of the vest he wore under his robes. 

Taking the list, Harry studied it carefully. It was composed of several law books and unsurprisingly to Harry, some Dark Arts books as well. Two of books he recognized and began moving to retrieve them.

“Several of these books I’m not familiar with, I’m afraid. Mr. Quinto will be returning tomorrow and this is more his area of expertise.” Harry informed the customer as he gave him two of the books from the list. 

“And what would be your area of expertise?” Tom asked as he studied the very well kept copies. 

Harry was grateful for the moment of inattention. Something about the way he asked that question caused unexpected _sultry_ thoughts to enter Harry’s head. Shaking to clear his brain, he decided to focus on the question. 

“Transfiguration and defense but my main interest is defense.” Harry replied as he moved behind the counter to retrieve an order form. 

Filing that tidbit of information away, Tom followed Harry to the counter, taking the quill and completing the form. 

“I’m Tom Riddle, by the way.” Placing the quill on the counter, Tom extended his hand. Staring at the appendage for a moment, Harry realized he was probably being weird and shook the hand. 

“Harry Potter and before you ask, no, I’m not related to the current Potters here in London.” 

A small smile danced across Riddle’s face. “I take it you are asked that quite often?”

Harry responded with a chuckle. “Since, I’ve come to London, yes.” He picked up the completed form and looked at it. “I’ll make sure Mr. Quinto sees this first thing. He loves the challenge of hunting down books.”

Refusing to be dismissed so easily, Tom decided to probe a little. “You are the Harry Potter that scored EE on your NEWTs recently?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so.” Harry admitted, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. He began busying himself with a stack of books, doing his best to avoid Riddle’s gaze. 

“Mmm. People speak highly of you in the ministry. Where did you study?” Riddle asked. He already knew Harry hadn’t attended Hogwarts or any other European school, however, it was possible he was educated in another country.

Harry frowned at the personal question. “I was homeschooled, actually. My magical education was a bit unconventional.” 

Tom could feel Harry’s magic spike and begin to leak out of his tight control for the moment, Tom elected to not press too hard. As far as he was concerned, there was plenty of time to divest Harry of his secrets. Instead, Tom smoothly moved the topic back to defensive studies and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.

ooOOoo

Harry had never been gladder to be back behind the locked and warded door of his flat. Riddle wound up spending most of the afternoon at the shop, discussing defense and the differences in light and dark magic defensive spells. Harry had to admit, he really enjoyed the conversation but in the back of his mind, he couldn’t forget who the man had become and the role Tom Riddle played in Harry’s life. Feel conflicted, Harry prepared a cup of tea and firecalled Caleb.

“Harry! I wasn’t expecting you to call me today. What’s going on?”

“I finally met Riddle today.” Harry replied as he settled down in front of the fireplace.

Caleb shook his head. “Ahh. So how did that happen?”

Running his hands through his already wild hair, Harry sighed. “He came into the shop, looking for a list of books. He wound up staying most of the afternoon.”

Even through the flames, Caleb could see that Harry looked really pained. “What was the problem?”

“That’s just it, there was no problem. He was interesting to talk to. He even gave me a list of books that could help with my studies before I go to France.” 

For a long moment, there was only the crackling of the flames. Finally, Caleb gave a prod. “What’s on your mind, Harry? You didn’t firecall me just to tell me you held a conversation.”

Hanging his head, Harry still didn’t speak. Caleb gave a sigh of his own. “Move, Harry, I’m coming through.” 

Stepping aside, Harry barely had time to summon another cup of tea before Caleb walked through the fireplace. Gratefully, he accepted the cup and settled in one of the chairs by the fireplace. Looking at the hanging head of his adoptive son, Caleb once again asked his previous question. 

“What’s on your mind, Harry?”

Harry stared into his own cup for a spell before looking sadly at Caleb. “I know who he is. I know what he becomes. Why…” Harry trailed off before returning his stare to his cup.  
“Why did you enjoy his company?” Caleb gently asked, receiving affirmation from a quick nod of Harry’s head. “Who said you shouldn’t?”

Harry’s head shot up. “How can I? He killed my parents! He destroyed my life!”

Caleb was quiet for a moment. He wanted to share things with Harry but again, he knew he couldn’t say a lot to influence Harry’s future. “You do realize he is not the same person you know from your timeline? None of those things have happened yet. When you came back here, you caused so many ripples, not bad ripples but changes nevertheless. Your presence here has rewritten some events in history.”

Caleb hated to see the hopeless look on Harry’s face. “What am I supposed to do, Caleb?”

“You are supposed to live, Harry. You are going to have to let go of what you have known and realize this is your life now. It’s time to live it.”

ooOOoo

It was late when Caleb finally stepped back through to his own home. He knew easing Harry’s concerns would be easier if he shared more of his premonitions but Caleb was well aware of what happened when folks attempted to meddle with fate. Meddling is what brought Harry back to this timeline in the first place. A misunderstood prophecy that was not meant for the audience that received it caused his boy so much heartache and pain. Harry didn’t realize it but Mother Magic was giving him a chance to have a happy life without the weight of the wizarding world on his shoulders. 

He still would have to be careful, however. Things were still in flux and while Caleb hadn’t gotten anything new lately, his psyche could sense major changes in the air and he was well aware they were intimately connected to decisions Harry would have to make in the near future. Sighing, Caleb slid into his bed and whispered a prayer to Mother Magic to guide Harry toward the right path.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Harry and Tom Riddle finally meet! If you read the one shot with the same title, you'll see bits and pieces of it incorporated into the next few chapters. Thank you for your patience!


End file.
